The New Young Justice Fanfic
by newyjfanfic
Summary: About 3 years ago five different kids that were YJ fans formed a RR with new characters and hopefully stories in the same vein in anticipation of the cancellation. Thenewyjfanfic group presents some of its work to the public, please review UPDated is the
1. Issue 1 by The Writist II

The New Young Justice Fanfic

Young Justice

The New Kids, Part One: Common Foe

***

Los Angeles, California...

He rolled over, his mind still numb and nestled within the comfortable folds of the dream world. It was those last few minutes of sleep before daytime slaps you full in the face with a harsh burst of light and consciousness, where your mind futilely struggles to remain in its safe, warm haven of slumber. Gently, two golden rays of light fell through the window, carefully touching his smooth features.

"Unh..." Cody Diamant rolled away again, unable to find coherency with only a foot out of the door into reality. His thick covers fell away, and he shivered as a cold draft touched his bare skin. Groaning, Cody reached over to touch the space beside him; it still held the lingering warmth of the body that had occupied it the previous night, but it was empty of physical form. "Bloody immortal lovers. Never stay the morning after..."

Cody pushed reluctantly out of bed; his body was filled with a pleasant soreness like it always was after Apollo's visits. The handsome Olympian was rather... demanding at times, but he could be equally attentive. He still allowed Cody to use his ancient scepter, an artifact of amazing power that was now lost in miniature form somewhere in the bedside pile formed by boxers and a pair of designer jeans. That scepter allowed Cody to take on the role of Phoebus, a super-powered advocate of human rights. 

Cody stretched briefly to push away the lead weight of sleep from his long limbs and wrapped a robe around his body. A quick glance in the mirror showed his longish hair forming an unruly halo around his handsome face, which was creased in several places by the pillow.

"First thing," he decided after a glance at the clock confirmed it was only noon. "A shower."

***

Serille, North Carolina...

Bizarre things were commonplace in Serille, North Carolina. Dragons appearing from nowhere, snakes longer than school buses happily slithering along the sidewalk, hordes of lemmings charging down sidewalks. The people of this small town had grown accustomed to this.

So no one paid it any mind when they passed a young man strolling along a worn path. This would not have been a cause for alarm in any place, had there not been a dragon the size of a large cat sitting contently in his arms. 

The dragon was covered in iridescent green scales, and it had wings as fine as gossamer arching from its back and glistening like dew in the rays of afternoon sun. Robert Checo delicately ran his fingertips over the dragon's spine. It made a noise halfway between a squeal and a purr and curved against Rob's touch. 

"You're perfect." Robert, known more commonly as `the Gamer', had possessed his unique powers since a young age. For some time he had been able to animate monopoly pieces, draw items from video games, and even give life to living creatures from his Playstation. But it had taken him years to get that last part down so that every minute detail was impeccable. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Rob had drawn this small creature from its nonexistence to reality. And it was indeed more perfect than almost anything else he had summoned.

The dragon wrinkled its scaled nose, pulled back its tiny, Saurian head, and sneezed. A plume of flame burst forth, curling upward before dissipating into the cool air. With a flutter of its wings, it leapt from Rob's hands and scurried off into the woods.

"Hey! Wait up!" It took Rob a few steps to catch up to his `pet'. "I guess you need something to practice your fire-breathing on... Hey..."

A few yards ahead, squatting amidst the sheltering trees like a brick toad, was a small building. It appeared to be some sort of office, even though the middle of the woods was an odd place to build such a structure. A sign bearing the words `Tangent Inc' in generic blue block lettering hung from its side. 

Rob's teeth flashed as a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Ain't that convenient? Sturdy brick, so a little fire shouldn't hurt it too badly... Go ahead, little guy."

*FOOM*

Rob gulped, stepping back from the sweltering wave of heat that washed over him and holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the searing light. "Oops... Okay, that wasn't a little fire..."

He pulled out a small handheld device and closed his eyes in concentration. "Well, Starmie should be able to put that out..."

The dragon let out a frightened squeal, disrupting Rob's summon. He opened his eyes as a huge shadow fell over him. "Eh? Whoa--!"

Seven feet and several hundred pounds of gleaming metal floated before him. It was vaguely humanoid, and the barrel of what was unmistakably a firearm was leveled at the quivering dragon. Particles of bright, dancing light were clustered within the barrel.

"Oh shi-"

***

Washington, DC...

He moved with a leopard's sleek agility, his movements swift but radiating power. His lean form was barely visible, a whirling blur as it bounced across rooftops, sprinted with cat-like ease along a chain-link fence, and vaulted over a small stream. His long legs pumped fervently with the fierce speed of someone who was in a desperate race. He clutched the precious treasure close to him, feeling its warmth spreading up through his arms and chest. Everything depended on this.

A final vault took him to his destination. He pounded on the entryway, and when the object of his quest appeared, bathed in golden light, he spoke unhindered by his exertion.

"Your total comes to $16.75," Decon Ice greeted, handing over the pineapple and ham pizza and the side of breadsticks.

"Did you walk all the way here?" the balding, forty-something man asked in wonderment. 

"Eh... I'm a marathon runner." The lie came easily to his lips as he accepted the money, cramming it into his pocket and sprinting off.

After dropping the money off at work, Decon was free to go about his own business... or rather the business of the self-styled `evil-fighter' One Shot Kill.

The winter night had come quickly and was crisp and cool, its harsh winds biting at bare skin and howling like a thousand wolves. The incandescence of the cat's claw moon scraped at the blanket of stars above. Rushing into his apartment, OSK pulled the blue `Dominoes' delivery shirt over his head and shucked it into the corner. In a whirlwind of motion, he changed into the black tank top, denim jacket, and cargo pants that served as his `costume' for crime fighting. 

OSK send a longing glance at his small television, so old that it still had rabbit's ears and knobs that cause the screen to flicker when twisted. Curling up in front of it was certainly tempting, but there were more pressing matters. He slid his window open, and launched himself into the darkness.

He raced across the rooftops of Washington DC, his silhouette dancing beneath him in the silvery moonlight like a barely visible doppelganger. This was the sort of crime-fighting OSK loathed. He wasn't dumb by any stretch of the word, but he definitely preferred straight-up fisticuffs to the cowardly mind games played by so many of the `corrupt businessman' flavor of villains. Of course, those were the most dangerous ones, the monsters who used bleached smiles and Armani suits to cloak their unlawful `hobbies'.

Hobbies like coke running; the police reports of people possessing cocaine were growing exponentially. OSK himself had been following leads for a week and a half, and they had all lead here, to a warehouse that was still in use for storing furniture.

"That's weird," OSK mumbled to himself. "Why would they use a place that was still in business?"

OSK seemed to meld into the shadows as he stole towards a window well that led into the basement of the warehouse. He peered in, a lifetime of training as an assassin kicking in as he scanned the area.

Five guards... Armed, but lightly... And there's the boss, accompanied with loads of coke. This should take...One minute, tops.

Glass flew like bladed snow as he entered, feet first. A knife-hand strike dropped one guard as a bullet smashed into his collarbone, eliciting no more pain than a sharp pinch. He fell upon the remaining guards in a whirlwind of violence. They were all downed in less than a minute. 

A startled cry came from the dealer himself. He was a greasy man, his swarthy skin glistening in the wan light. He wore a stained white suit, and had several packets spread out on the table before him.

Cursing, he spun around and tore towards the wooden steps. OSK almost seemed to float across the room as he landed a sidekick to the very center of his back. The dealer lurched forward, smashing painfully into the steps. OSK grabbed two fistfuls of his suit and jerked the man around, until he was inches from his face. Fear and sweat radiated off the dealer in a sickening wave; OSK recognized the scent from years of being around it.

"Okay, who the hell is letting you operate here?!" OSK snarled. 

"Dear Jesus, I beg you-"

A sharp backhand cut the dealer off. "None of that praying crap... I really doubt Jesus gives a damn about you anymore. Now who the hell is letting you base your operations under a warehouse that's still in use?"

The man whimpered. "Demon..."

"You got that right, now tell me!" OSK snarled as the mental dam holding back the boiling waters of his demon nature began to buckle.

"I know you've heard stories about me. All you lowlife sons of bitches have. `One Shot Kill... he's a demon! He'll kill you! He'll rip out your intestines and swing you around by them!' Well, guess what... Those stories aren't true." 

OSK moved his face in even closer to the dealer's, until the stench of fear became almost palpable, pressing against him in a feeble attempt to push him off.

"I'm much, much worse. Now who's letting you operate here?!"

"T-Tangent..." the dealer murmured. OSK's face darkened, and the dealer grew even paler. "Jerry Tangent!"

OSK nodded, satisfied. He recognized the name and knew where to find him; a quick teleport was all that was needed. "Good. Now you just gotta tell this to the police."

The panic eased slowly from the dealer's face. He inhaled deeply, and spat into OSK's face. The assassin-turned-hero recoiled, wiping the back of his hand viciously across his face. 

"You little..." A crimson haze slowly inched across OSK's vision, and his blood rushed in his ears. One hand whipped out, grabbing the dealer by the face and driving his head back into the stairs hard enough to loose several splinters. The dealer began to scream, but OSK held fast, barely feeling the panicked kicks and punches. Soon, the dealer grew weaker. OSK could sense the life ebbing from him like water from a leaking pot, spilling out of his body until it was 

drained and limp. 

OSK pulled his hand away, as he felt his anger subside with the dealer's death.

"Crap. I really gotta work on my temper."

***

Serille, Maryland...

"Oh-God-Oh-God-Oh-God..."

He muttered the mantra under his breath, slurring the words together so that it came out as more of a continuous moan. A fine sheen of sweat was forming on his brow, from nervousness and the exertion of his sprint. Said sprint had taken him about a mile through the woods from the isolated office building.

Rob didn't even want to think of what the robot's attack had done to the dragon. 

"I was gonna put it out!" he protested. The robotic monstrosity's soulless eyes held no mercy or understanding as it lowered the barrel of its bizarre firearm at its quarry. The whirring and clicking of the machine's parts filled the air...

...As a burst of energy caused it to explode into shining fragments.

A deafening roar split the skies, and Robert was nearly swept away by the force of powerful wind whirling around him. There was a sound crash as a creature, clad in armor of deep blues and oranges, landed a few yards away from Rob. It stretched its shining wings and thrashed a tail capable of shattering stone.

"Bahamut!" Robert cried. "What the hell took you so long? That guy nearly killed me! Damn Aeon... I miss the Eidolons. Too bad I lost my copy of Final Fantasy IX."

The dragon-like creature seemed to narrow its eyes in offense, but it simply snorted and shifted its gleaming bulk uneasily. Robert uncomfortably fiddled with the button of his newly acquired denim jacket.

"Yeah, yeah... I know you liked the little dragon, too. I was thinking about calling him `Draco'." Robert nodded sadly. His face hardened into a look of steely resolve. "You know what? I say we get the stuffy rich prick who did this back! I mean, just cuz I was trying to commit a harmless and easily fixable act of arson is NO excuse to kill my pet and try to kill ME!"

Gamer paused. "Hmmm... What was the name on the building again?"

***

Back in Los Angeles...

Cody, his hair tousled and his body clothed in a burgundy button-up and fashionably stained jeans, glanced once more at the clock.

"One thirty... Guess it's breakfast time..." he noted, strolling down the winding staircase. "I love winter break..."

The tantalizing scent of breakfast rolls fell over Cody, and he felt his stomach rumble in hunger as he hopped into the kitchen. His father had long since left for work, and his mother was probably out with her friends.

The rolls were collected in a basket on the table, and seated near to them was a woman late into middle age. She had darker skin, and her silver and black hair was pulled back into a bun, wisps falling out to frame a grave face. She was clad in a black dress and a white apron. 

"Rosario! What's up? You look a little upset," Cody observed as he grabbed a warm roll from the basket. Rosario had worked for his family for years; she was like a second mother to him. His eyes fell to her hands, which were moving several glossy cards across the table. Beside them lay a newspaper.

"Look at the newspaper, Cody," Rosario replied in a voice still tinged with her Mexican accent. 

Cody pulled the paper over to him, and read aloud. "`Last night, in East L A, several girls were found drugged in the basement of an office building. It is highly suspected that they had been kidnapped and were being sold into prostitution against their will. None of the girls were coherent enough to make comments. The manager of the building, Regional Manager of Tangent Incorporated, Matthew Moran, was taken into custody. The President and CEO of Tangent Inc, Jerry Tangent, has denied any connection to or knowledge of this occurrence.' That's... that's..."

He was at a loss for words as he gazed in shock at the picture. Several girls were being swaddled in blankets, led out of a dingy room by the police.

"Horrifying, to say the least," Rosario replied. "I also doubt that this `Tangent' is being entirely truthful."

Cody nodded. "Mom's friend, Miss Anne, says exactly the same thing... What do your cards say?"

Rosario flipped over a tarot card, revealing a colorful, glossy painting of a horned creature, with hungry crimson eyes and vermilion teeth splattered with blood. Cody shuddered at the image. 

"They agree," Rosario confirmed. She turned her grave black eyes towards Cody. "What are you going to do about this?"

"Well, I plan to shed a little light on the situation," Cody replied. His fingertips brushed his belt buckle, where a tiny ornament resembling a golden scepter hung. His deep brown eyes flashed as if caught in the sun. 

***

San Francisco...

OSK appeared in a dank alleyway shrouded in shadow. The mingled stench of urine and rotting food was overpowering, so he did not hesitate in making a hasty exit. He leaned forward for a few seconds, hands on his knees as he regained the energy lost from his teleportation. Using that specific power always left him feeling slightly tired. 

In a moment he was ready. He stood up to his full height and scanned the area. Buildings loomed upward all around him, attempting to brush the star-studded belly of the sky. Cars rolled calmly past, illuminated by the myriad lights. Like Washington DC, San Francisco was awash with the Holiday spirit. Strands of multicolored lights hung everywhere and a jolly Santa Claus winked merrily from behind the window of nearly every store, occasionally accompanied by a cardboard Rudolph. But, when compared to DC, San Francisco was nearly tropical in its warmth. OSK glanced around at the nearly identical buildings.

"Which of these is Tangent Inc?" he muttered out loud.

"Perhaps you're looking for the one that says `Tangent Incorporated' across the upper part in brilliant neon blue lettering?" a voice asked with friendly sarcasm. It was soft, with the barest hint of a French accent in its pronunciation. 

OSK turned to see a young man walking towards him. He was lithe, obviously fit, about two years younger than OSK and clad in a leather jacket and clinging flared jeans. He moved with graceful ease, and OSK had him pegged for one of those carefree children of money. When OSK looked into his eyes, though, that perception was changed. There was a hint of sadness in their fathomless, earth-colored depths, a sadness that was out of place in the boy's youthful and well-sculpted features.

"You know Tangent?" OSK asked. The boy shook his head.

"Not personally, but I know he's probably in that tower. I was looking to have a talk with him, myself. I'm Cody Diamant, by the way."

OSK returned the handshake; Cody's grip was firm, but his hand was soft, smooth, and obviously unused to work. OSK instinctively analyzed the boy; he moved fluidly and with great confidence, but his gait lacked the power of a fighter's. Cody would not be too much of a threat.

"Name's Decon. Decon Ice."

***

Decon. Nice name. He's cute... where have I seen him before?

Cody felt the calluses on the taller boy's hand, and the power in his grip. Everything about him seemed familiar, from the dreadlocks that adorned his head to the black outfit that adorned his lean frame. Cody shrugged as he gave up his mental search, deciding that Decon simply bore a resemblance to someone he knew. Cody could sense the tension radiating off the other boy; he was agitated about something. 

"May I ask what you need in Tangent Inc?"

Decon shrugged, and Cody felt him grow slightly uncomfortable. "I have a bone to pick with the president."

"I guess you could say the same about me," Cody replied, shrugging.

The duo strolled up to the building. It was certainly luxurious, but Cody wasn't impressed; he had been in many others just like this, with the glass doors and marble lobbies. Turning on the imperious and haughty air his mother had taught him to adopt, he strolled up to the front desk.

"Excuse me, miss. We were wondering if we could speak with Jerry Tangent, please, it's important," Cody said, meeting the receptionist's hazel eyes.

"I'm sorry, young man. Mr. Tangent is busy and you need an appointment," she replied, turning to the paperwork spread in front of her.

"Please, it's urgent," Cody replied. Decon shifted nervously; persuasion, at least the gentle kind, was never his strongpoint. 

"And so is Mr. Tangent's business. He can't drop everything for any random boys off the street, can he, honey?" she asked, raising an over-plucked eyebrow. 

Cody resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well, ma'am, I guess not. Is there anyone else we could speak to?"

"Not without an appointment," she said, shrugging as boredom radiated off of her in waves. "Sorry, kids."

"Thank you, ma'am." Cody's tone grew icy. "Let's go, Decon."

"Dude, we haven't gotten anything done," Decon whispered, following Cody's brisk walk. 

"That's about to change." A small smirk played across Cody's mouth as he watched the receptionist he had spoken to return to her paperwork. "Every corporate CEO sits at the top of the building... I think it gives them a feeling of power. Let's go."

The two disappeared into the sliding golden doors of the elevator.

***

OSK stepped out of the elevator, Cody at his heels. They found themselves in a carpeted hallway lined with lush potted plants. 

"Jesus, this guy has you pissed!" Cody observed. OSK frowned inwardly; he had thought he was hiding his emotions pretty well. 

"I don't like his type. Sleazy, disgusting," OSK replied. "Using his handsome face as a shield for whatever the hell he's got going on behind America's back."

"That face is handsome?" Cody asked incredulously. "Please, I've seen stars that aren't as bright as those teeth. How much bleach does he use on them?"

Ignoring Cody, OSK marched down the hallway at the end of which signs indicated he would find Tangent's office. They quickly found themselves at twin oak doors, denoted by a golden black to be the office of `Jerry Tangent, CEO'. 

"Excuse me," a woman's voice interrupted, melodious to the ear but filled with command and power, like silk draped over steel. "Mr. Tangent is busy. Do not go in there."

OSK felt his lips curl open into a grin as he beheld the woman accosting them. She was tall, nearly his height, and had short black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her skin was like porcelain, pure and white, and judging by her long, muscular legs, she was an athlete of some sort. Her practical black uniform denoted her as, most likely, a security guard. 

"Why hello there, Miss..." OSK's eyes darted to the nametag pinned onto her lightweight black jacket. "Chantel. Pleasure to meet you."

Chantel eyed him, unimpressed and almost bored. "The pleasure is all yours."

Cody stared Chantel in the eyes. "You poor girl," he murmured, acting as if disconcerted by what he saw in those flashing brown orbs. "What has he done to you? Does he treat you like those other girls?"

"What are you talking about?" Chantel replied, her face remaining still like the stagnant masks of the Japanese Noh Theatre Decon's surrogate mother had been quite fond of. 

"You know what I'm talking about. It's in the paper."

Chantel paused, nodding her features still set in stone. "I see. One moment, please."

She slipped through the doors, in such a way that OSK could see nothing of what occurred beyond them, not that he would have noticed preoccupied as he was with her rear end. 

"She got nervous when I mentioned the other girls," Cody observed.

A few moments passed, and something smashed into the small of OSK's back with the force of a sledgehammer. He slammed into the doors with a crash, nearly losing his balance.

He spun around, revealing an attractive girl in an artfully ripped version of Chantel's uniform. Her searing brown eyes were surrounded by heavily applied eyeliner, and her black hair was hacked short and spiked out. As she raised her fists in a standard kickboxing stance, OSK noted several metallic and dangerous-looking bracelets surrounding her wrists. 

"Hi there... Care t' have a go?" she asked, grinning. Her voice was tinted heavily with a cockney accent. After a moment, OSK realized that, despite the difference in wardrobe and demeanor, this girl was identical to Chantel.

"Baby, I'd like to have more than one go!" OSK replied with a grin. The grin vanished as he saw Cody move.

Cody swung with a pretty decent right hook for someone with little discernible training, but he moved a hair too slowly. The girl spun around and landed a back fist with enough force to send him sprawling across the cold floor. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to OSK, holding a knife by the blade in her left hand. She prepared to fling it, but Cody's leg hit her knees. The knife imbedded itself in the door as the girl collapsed in a heap. She vaulted back into a standing position and turned on Cody, her anger nearly palpable.

"You little..." OSK rushed her, receiving a roundhouse to the chest, before her fists hammered across his jaw. OSK blinked. That had almost stung... almost. Frowning, the girl withdrew another small knife from her jacket and swiped at OSK, merely managing to created a rip in the fabric of his shirt. "Ok, admittedly not the way I was planning on you taking off my shirt, but..." 

"Bloody hell! What're you made of?" she asked, hopping back and raising her knife defensively. Judging by its angle it was going to go straight towards his eyes. 

"Cody, get out of here!" OSK snapped, smashing his forearm into the girl's to stop her stab. Cody's footfalls echoed through the hallway as OSK grabbed her arm, twisting it to force her to release the knife. It clattered to the ground, and she twisted just right, flipping OSK onto his back. It didn't remain that way for long, though, as his foot whipped out at superhuman speed, knocking her onto the ground. OSK rolled on top of her, pinning her hands over her head. 

"Get off me... you..." Her knee found its way into OSK's groin, repeatedly. His grip weakened enough for her to kick him off. 

"Okay, the gloves are off!" OSK snarled, grabbing the girl's fist before it connected with his nose and hurling her, like a rag doll, several yards through the air before she crashed against the wall. She crumpled to the ground, groaning faintly. 

"Hold it."

Chantel had reappeared, accompanied by an Uzi leveled at OSK's temple.

OSK readied himself; the bullets from the Uzi would sting like crazy, but he could handle it. Chantel tightened her finger on the trigger.

The fusillade of stinging metal ricocheted off a transparent golden bubble that had suddenly appeared around the hero. The bullets peppered the floor, shattering the marble. 

"Huh?" OSK turned, to see a shining figure strolling down the hallway. The figure was obviously male, and wore a golden breastplate and pure-white pants that accentuated this by molding themselves to every slope on his body. A gleaming scepter was clutched in his right hand. 

It's Cody, OSK realized as he saw the boy's face. The only difference there was that his eyes were white, and flickered with ethereal energy. It struck OSK suddenly that it was the face of one of the most photographed heroes in the world. A.K.A. Phoebus, apparently.

"Back off, skank," Cody snapped, allowing the bubble to dissipate.

"Ahh... Phoebus, en't it?" the English girl snapped as she rose unsteadily. "Y' look like y' should be dancin' on a table in a So Ho gay bar, rather `en busting up a building like this! What's with them stitches up and down the sides of your armor? I've seen corsets that cover more than that!" 

"And probably worn ones that cover less," Cody snapped, falling into a defensive position. 

OSK moved forward in a blur of speed, swatting Chantel to the side with a powerful sweep of his hand. His foot smashed into the center of the oak doors, sending them swinging open with a bang. "Tangent!" 

The office held a massive mahogany desk, several plush leather sofas, a sprawling screen upon one wall, and an impressive view of the city below.

But no people.

"Damn! Where the hell is he?" 

"You mean he isn't here?" Phoebus asked. A bubble had formed around him, and the two guards were circling it like ravenous lionesses. 

"No, the stinking..." A low rumble, like peeling thunder, cut OSK off in mid-sentence as the wall in the hallway shook. An intricate cobweb of deep cracks preceded its collapse. The two guards darted away. Phoebus dropped his force field and flew backward, barely avoiding being crushed by the rubble. He stumbled upon landing and tumbled to a heap at OSK's feet.

"Jeez... it doesn't do that in the game..." a new voice deadpanned. 

OSK glared at the figure that was barely visible beyond the contorting clouds of thick dust. As they settled across the rocky field of what had been a wall and a ceiling, he could see that it was a young African American boy. He short of stature and did not look accustomed to physical work, but he held a bizarre firearm, silver colored with a red streak down the center. A thin tendril of smoke was curling upward from its barrel. 

"Hey! I know you," the boy cried, stumbling over the field of rubble in a way that assured OSK he had little martial skill. "You're that pretty boy hero... Phoebus!"

"Apparently," Phoebus replied, clutching his scepter as he attempted to discern the whereabouts of Chantel and the other security guard. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Gamer," he replied, grinning. "This weird chick dressed like something out of a kung fu flick wasn't letting me in... Then she pulled a sword on me, and I kinda shot at her. I missed and hit the wall..."

"Didn't notice," Phoebus replied, rolling his eyes. "Where did those security guards go?"

Suddenly a flash of silver whistled through the air. OSK's keen eyes 

saw its small, oval shape, and he felt a pulse of urgency rush 

through him. 

"Get down!"

And then the world erupted in a chaotic whirlwind of flame and noise.

***

Phoebus willed the golden bubble containing him upward through the billowing streams of smoke, shooting upward until he seemed to become yet another star in the endless expanse of night. He looked downward. Decon and the newcomer, `Gamer', lay on the bottom of the force field, suspended above the glittering field of San Francisco. They were both relieved, but Phoebus sensed nothing more than mild surprise from either of them. It was obvious that they had experienced things much more shocking than flying force fields.

He glanced warily at Gamer. The boy was clad in an outfit of one-tone denim, and had a small, portly frame. Phoebus did not recognize him or his name.

"You two all right?"

"Yeah," Gamer replied, checking the belt around his waist. Phoebus noticed that it was laden with many pouches containing various items.

"Uh-huh. You think Chantel and the other woman got away?" Decon asked.

"I'm not sure," Phoebus replied. "The blast only blew out the area we were in... I sensed no one in distress, so either no one got caught in it. Or... Or whoever did, is..."

"Dead. Get used to saying it, bro... It just gets worse," Decon replied. His tone was that of a commander bequeathing the wisdom of war unto a newly recruited soldier. 

Gamer nodded, standing shakily on the floor of the semi-transparent bubble. He ran an appraising gaze over Phoebus, who felt contempt wafting of him like a distant, yet still foul stench. "This isn't the job for sissies, pal."

Phoebus gazed at the smaller boy through narrowed eyes. The energy that radiated from his orbs gave this stare an eerie effect. "I've seen... and felt... pain and suffering that would crush your soul."

"What, didja run out of hair gel?" Gamer replied, rolling his eyes.

"Jeez, you guys just met! Chill out!" Decon snapped. "We've got to rest somewhere, and figure out our next steps."

"I live in Los Angeles," Phoebus replied. "I can get there in a few minutes but not with my force field up like this... I move too slowly."

Gamer shrugged. "I've got ways of transportation."

***

Los Angeles, the Diamant Residence...

"This is my room," Phoebus, or rather, Cody as his true name appeared to be, explained, indicating the expanse with a wave of his hand. 

Robert glanced around in awe. The manor itself was huge, surrounded with fountains and winding garden mazes in a picture of such quaint decadence that the X-Wing he had summoned as transport looked even more out of place on the lawn that it did normally.

Cody's room was not as large as the manner had suggested, but it still dwarfed Robert's own. It was stylishly decorated, with just the right degree of over-crowded disorder to make it cozy.

A large bed swaddled in heavy blankets and pillows was pushed up against one wall and across from it a medium-sized television squatted, complete with a DVD player. Along the other wall was pushed an oak desk adorned with a computer and countless decorative knickknacks, and a stereo system sat nearby a bay window. The walls were plastered with posters of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Superboy, and CM3, their pearly white smiles gleaming in the moonlit, incense-scented dimness.

"Jeez..." Gamer muttered, glancing around. The room was brimming with wealth and luxury, and it made him feel a little ill in the same way that an overabundance of sugar would.

Gamer glanced to the left at Cody, whose handsome face was bathed in the ghostly light of his computer screen as he checked the messages left for him in almost blithe unawareness of the dangerous situation the group had just escaped. He seemed to fit in perfectly with the room; the epitome of controlled casualness in his roughed up, bleached out jeans and longish, tousled hair. Robert's eyes rolled almost involuntarily; whoever had plucked this boy out of the Express-Men's catalogue and given him super-powers deserved a hearty smack upside the head. 

"Ohh! Jimmy left me a message!" Cody squealed, slipping momentarily into a more effeminate tone. "He's such a sweetheart!"

"Ooooh... too typical," Gamer noted, shaking his head and muttering to 

OSK. "Shoulda guessed from the paint-on jeans."

"Dude, what are you talking about?" OSK replied, crossing his arms. "Umm, Cody? We do have business to attend to."

Gamer nodded. "Yeah, if you can forget your boy-toy for a minute you might remember that we have a rogue businessman and a handful of deadly and armed martial artists running around?"

"Well, how do you propose we find them?" Cody asked, clicking the keyboard a few times before moving away. He flicked on a light. "I guess we could split up and search for her... How fast can you guys travel?"

"Pretty quick, but I'm not exactly the Flash."

"My X-Wing can reach warp speed in seconds," Gamer noted proudly.

Cody's arched eyebrows turned into a confused frown. "Your what?"

"X-Wing," Gamer replied incredulously. When repetition didn't stir Cody's memory, he threw his hands down in exasperation. "Jeez! Don't you ever play video games?!"

"Oh, no, I have a life," Cody replied with a deliberate lack of meanness to his tone. 

OSK groaned, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Dude, both of you! They know we're after them, so it's only a short while before they start searchin' for us. It ain't like we can just sit around and wait for them to attack!"

Gamer opened his mouth to say something, but a shrill cry from the hall cut him off.

"Annie? Annie!" 

Throwing open the door revealed Cody's mother, a thin, spectrally beautiful woman with golden-wheat hair and full red lips, screaming into the phone almost hysterically. 

"Mama!" Cody rushed to his mother's side, grabbing her arm. A stream of French rushed from his lips, completely meaningless to Gamer's ears, and Mrs. Diamant replied in same. Cody nodded. "Oui, oui..."

Gamer frowned as Cody grabbed his arm, yanking him out into the hallway, but he bit back a barb when he saw the look of urgency on the other boy's face. "My mother was on the phone with her friend... she said she heard a gunshot. The thing is that her friend is a huge detractor of Jerry Tangent. Coincidence? Yeah right. Come on!"

***

Decon gripped the multi-colored of the strange beast he rode upon as if his life depended on it. He had no idea what a `Bahamut' was, and Gamer's babble about video games had not done much to change that. OSK didn't trust the strange beast, but he did concur with Gamer's logic; at nighttime a large dragon soaring high above the gleam of the houses below was faster and far less conspicuous than the glowing sphere Phoebus would have carried him in. OSK frowned, as a faint, repetitive noise hit his ears.

"Listen!" he cried out, peering through the heavy gloom for the source of the din. "It sounds like a helicopter!"

"I can't see anything!" Gamer replied. 

"I can!" Phoebus replied, his glowing eyes piercing the darkness. "Back me up, guys!"

*** 

Phoebus shot forward with a falcon's speed towards the helicopter, the light from his scepter beginning to fade. Bahamut flailed its wings, lurching forward. The helicopter obviously saw its pursuers and quickly shot forward, buzzing like some malevolent dragonfly of Brobdingnagian proportions. 

However, its speed was only mechanical. Phoebus' came from a god, and he quickly overtook the helicopter. A dazzling display of light streamed from his scepter and momentarily blinded the pilot. Bahamut roared, its armored hands grabbing at the hazy disco of the helicopter's propeller. The blades clanged against its natural armor, denting and shattering as they did so that the helicopter was supported only by Bahamut's incredible stength.

Phoebus swung his scepter, bashing in the door to the helicopter. As he attempted to enter, the pilot turned on him. She was a teenage girl, with her dark hair chopped short and her muscled frame clad in a baggy black uniform. Phoebus noted with surprise that she was identical to Chantel.

Her foot whipped out, smashing into Phoebus' abdomen with enough force to drive him out of the helicopter. He barely caught himself, drawing power from the scepter to assuage the pain. A sharp chill ran down his spine as he saw a large firearm, he wasn't quite sure what, being thrust from the helicopter towards OSK like the stinger of some ferocious scorpion. 

The clap of rapid gunfire filled the sky like reverberating peels of thunder that hammered on the consciousness, and sparks filled the sky as OSK moved swiftly, deflecting the bullets with the armbands around his wrists. He moved with such speed that the effect made him resemble a multi-armed statue of Shiva. 

"Wow! Just like Wonder Woman!" Phoebus observed, before OSK cried out, crimson droplets of blood splattering in all directions as he lurched backward to fall limply from Bahamut's back. "Or not..."

Phoebus shot like a bullet towards OSK's falling form, grabbing onto it with all his strength. Pain spiked through his arms and back from the strain as he lowered himself to the sidewalk. They had reached a commercial area of town, one that was fortunately devoid of innocent bystanders at this late hour. 

Blood was sluicing from the wound in OSK's shoulder, spilling into a puddle on the sidewalk and running in crimson streams down Phoebus' sculpted armor. It appeared as if the bullet had punched straight through him, and OSK was making a sound that appeared halfway between a gurgle and scream.

"Calm down... calm down," Phoebus murmured, summoning all his discipline to stop OSK's panic from effecting him. Empathy was quite a pain at times. 

"Calmness prob'ly `en't the best state to be in right now, luv," a familiar voice taunted as the British security guard sauntered from the shadows, twirling a blade in one hand in the same idle manner another might toy with a lock of hair.

"Chantel! Why are you doing this?" Phoebus cried out, recognizing the first security guard he had run into as she stepped up beside her teammate. 

"Please, Chantel is my day-name. At night I much prefer to be called... Clique." 

The British girl chuckled, and Phoebus noted the fact that the two were practically identical twins. "Actually, we all do."

Phoebus felt a pang of fear as several more girls stepped from the alleyway, each different in dress but all bearing the same face and a variety of different weapons. Frowning, he called out to Gamer, and erected a force field around himself and his wounded ally.

***

Pain. 

That was all OSK could feel. Pain, red hot and cruel, curling in agonizing tendrils through his body. A crimson haze obscured his vision, and every neuron was firing off messages of pure, unadulterated anguish.

It began to subside swiftly, though, a shining gold piercing the crimson haze as a benevolent numbness took over his body.

"Wha..."

"Shhh... God, you're healing swiftly. You have your own regenerating powers, don't you? Don't answer that... just stay still. Shhh..."

OSK's vision cleared enough to reveal Phoebus kneeling over him, his shining armor stained with blood. He held his glowing scepter down to the wound, which was knitting itself up at an amazing rate.

Phoebus grinned, undaunted by the blood splattering the area around him. "There... That barely took three minutes."

"Thanks..." Decon replied, sitting up. His arm still felt numb, but prickled like it had fallen asleep and circulation was just beginning to be restored. The world seemed a little hazy. 

"You've lost a lot of blood. Gamer is taking care of the Cliques."

"The who?" OSK glanced through the force field, revealing a group of women attacking the creature he had ridden to the area. Bahamut was holding its own, for the women's attacks had no effect on its heavy armor. Its reflexes were too slow for its attacks to land on any of the agile girls, however.

"Bahamut!" OSK heard Gamer cry out. "Use an energy attack!" 

Suddenly, Bahamut began to fade, as if his very atoms were dispersing into the molecules around them, until there was nothing there. "Crap! Mom must've turned off the PS2!"

A woman in dark, loose clothing lunged, wielding a sword OSK recognized as a Chinese butterfly sword, often used in styles of kung fu. Phoebus dropped his force field and streaked forward, crossing the distance in a second and landing a glancing blow with his scepter. The woman was sent tumbling into the bushes, stunned.

OSK rose to attack the nearest armed woman, but suddenly the world was bathed in a blinding, brilliant emerald radiance.

***

Phoebus' eyes, suffused with light as they were when he was in contact with his scepter, were mostly unaffected by the green burst of light, which seemed to be emanating from a humanoid shape suspended in midair. As the light began to dim, Phoebus realized that it was a teenaged boy, around his size, clad in a loose, plain cotton shirt and pants. He had dark, slightly disheveled hair, and East Asian features. Fear and confusion radiated from him.

He cried out, and suddenly a beam of pure green energy surged from his right hand. It struck the road with a resounding crash, leaving a smoking crater behind. More beams lanced out, devastating the area. Phoebus raised his scepter, erecting a glowing dome around himself and Gamer to repel the energy blasts. 

"Hey! Look up!" OSK's challenge rang out over the battlefield as he leapt into the air. The newcomer looked at him in puzzlement, before OSK landed a wild roundhouse to his face. The boy was knocked from the air, ceasing his random blasts, and bounced across the ground like a thrown penny. 

Phoebus' observations were revealed to be true once the brilliant light had ceased. The boy pushed himself into a kneeling position, as OSK stalked over to him. One hand roughly grabbed the cotton of his shirt, yanking him into a standing position.

"Okay, tell me who the hell you are or-"

A fist hammered into OSK's jaw, cutting off his threat. A slight, jade-colored aura had formed around the boy, just enough so that the air around him flickered with power. He grabbed OSK by the arm and twisted, flinging him away easily. OSK had barely touched the ground before he launched himself back at the boy. His fists thrust outward like pistons, and the boy returned the fury with his own blocks and strikes.

Phoebus watched in awe from the sanctity of his force field as the two moved, like dancing blurs, around each other in a display that put any martial arts movie he had seen to shame. Their arms were nearly invisible as they blocked and landed jackhammer blows, and only the dancing flash that was the mysterious boy's aura allowed Gamer and Phoebus to keep track of the match as the two martial artists ricocheted off walls and vaulted high into the air. A kick found its way to OSK's stomach, sending him sailing backward into a pile of crates stacked in an alleyway. 

The boy lunged, but OSK rolled to the side, and pummeled him with a flurry of kicks that drove him into the wall. An explosion of green energy devastated the crates, but OSK dodged and snatched a board from the air, swinging it at his opponent, who shattered it like driftwood and landed a knife-hand to his neck. OSK stumbled back, but managed to raise his arms in time to block an axe-kick. OSK punched his opponent in the face and then whirled around and thrust 

his foot into the boy's abdomen, sending him sailing backward to lie, dazed, in the center of the street. 

OSK leapt again to attack, but a shimmering golden dome intercepted him. His feet struck it with no effect, and he rebounded away.

"Phoebus! What the hell?" 

"One Shot, hold on," Phoebus replied, strolling over to the small force field, within which the boy lay unconscious. "Hello? Can you hear me? This was a misunderstanding... He thought you were attacking us."

The boy looked up at Phoebus, a trickling of blood running from his lip.

"Lay day hay beeng gall? Gnaw hay..." emerald energy suffused the boy, spreading upward from a ring on his right middle finger, "...Are you? Where... Who... Aiyaa... The Temple! The temple... what..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" OSK demanded. 

"Calm down, please," Phoebus implored as he felt panic race from the boy. "Please, you're going to..."

The boy's eyes rolled back into his head, which hit his arm with a soft thump. 

Phoebus dropped his force field and rushed to the boy's side. "God, we need to get him back to my house..."

***

Twenty minutes later...

The steam wafted up from the cup in Cody's hands, the scent of the herbal tea tantalizing to his senses. A few cookies lay amidst the crumbs of their brethren on a silver platter near the bed. The mysterious newcomer lay in bed, his bruises from the fight with OSK healed by Phoebus' power.

"Can't you do anything to wake him up?" Decon asked, strolling into Cody's room.

"No, the best I can do is heal his wounds. The poor boy was exhausted beyond belief. Did you see any sign of the Cliques?"

Decon shook his head, his dreadlocks shaking with the curt movement. "Nope."

Cody adjusted the damp cloth on the boy's head, and a low groan escaped his lips.

"He's about to awake. Decon, you may want to back up in case he panics upon seeing you."

"Right."

Cody gently touched the boy's shoulder. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

The boy's dark eyes fluttered open. "Lay day hay beeng gall?"

"I'm sorry," Cody replied, frowning. The boy appeared to be speaking some form of Chinese. "I can't understand... Ah!" 

The boy's hand had lashed out with cobra quickness, tightening around Cody's windpipe. Cody gagged as a jabbing thumb forced itself against his throat. 

"Who are you? Where am I?" The boy's voice was thickly accented, but his words were clear. 

"P-Please..." Cody replied, lifting a hand to dissuade OSK from attacking. "We won't hurt you."

Apparently deciding Cody was trustworthy, the boy released his grip, letting his hand settle in his lap. Cody rubbed his throat, swallowing deeply.

"My name is Cody Diamant, and you're in my house, in Los Angeles, California. In the States... What is your name? Who are you?"

His manner becoming more subdued as he seemed to relax, the boy took awhile before replying. 

"You can call me Luke."

Cody nodded, handing Luke the tray with the herbal tea and cookies on it. Balancing it carefully on his lap, Luke took a gentle sip from the glass, after tentatively sniffing it like a cat would its food.

"Mmmm. Thank you," he replied, obviously thirsty as his next gulp drained half the cup and send rivulets of warm liquid coursing down his cheeks. He wiped them away with his sleeve. 

"Luke... When you appeared, you were shooting off blasts of green energy. From this ring."

Cody held out his hand. Nestled in his palm was the ring Luke had been wearing. It looked as if it were carved from emerald. An air of age hung around it that spoke of a centuries long existence, even though its surface was smooth and unblemished. Luke gazed at it with a mixture of awe and fear, like one would a deadly weapon. 

"I've seen the symbol on here before... Have you heard of Green Lantern?"

"Aiyaa," Luke murmured, falling back onto the plush pillows Cody had used to prop his head up. His eyes lost their focus as if he had been struck, and his skin suddenly looked as wan as if someone had cast flour in his face. "The temple... Oh..."

He suddenly lurched forward, sending the cookies and tea splashing carelessly onto Cody's thick black comforter. A harsh, strangled sob escaped him, wracking his lean body. 

"The temple?" Cody heard OSK murmur from behind him. Cody gently lay a comforting hand on Luke's back, biting his lower lip against the wave of despair that threatened to submerge him in a frigid sea of sadness. 

"Shhh... It's okay... Just don't think about it right now."

Gamer coughed, pushing the chair away from Cody's computer. "If we can turn our attention to the important thing... I've found someone who knows where Tangent is."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Issue 2 by ssj4vacca4 and RT

The New Young Justice Fanfic

By ssj4vacca and RT/manticoraus

[Where we left off was when dld past out (again hehe) after muttering something about a temple.]

(Gamer enters the room in which DLD lay unconscious in a bed, Phoebus checks DLD for signs of improvement, and OSK wearily looks on .)

Gamer: Geezz, he still out?

(Phoebus , a little frustrated, turns to Gamer with his right eyebrow raised, slightly)

Phoebus: This is the tenth time you've asked! He has been through a great deal, so chill. Take some valium or somethin'.

Gamer: I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, frag'n simbad looka like.

(OSK chuckles a little as phoebus's face turns read. Then OSK's face is dark and serious)

OSK: (snaps) This isn't the time. This guy could wake-up at any minute. We don't even know what he is capable of. I say we kill the little son of a bitch while we can. He is too #$%&&#$& dangerous.

(Phoebus turns to OSK with a stern face).

Phoebus: No killing.

OSK : Who are you to tell me what to do? I don't have to answer to you.

Phoebus: Though that may be true, and killing a person in there sleep shows that you have no honor. If you try to harm him while he is in this state I will stop you.

Gamer: You have no right to speek of honor, you're runing around in a figg'n halloween costume.

OSK (smiles a little): Fine Phoebus, but if he so much as looks at me wrong, I'm all over him.

(Phoebus leaves dld's side and makes his way to an intercom and then presses a red button.)

Phoebus: Rosario, I have some unexpected company and I greatly appreciate if you could order some pizza.

(the voice in the intercom): Is there any specific kind of pizza you have in mind?

Phoebus: Just order three off every kind.

(the voice in the intercolm): Ok, is there any beverage that you desire.

Phoebus: Not at the moment but I'll call you if I need anything else.

(Phoebus presses the button again to turn off the intercolm and then turns to DLD who is just waking up, Gamer who is on the phone, and OSK who warily watching DLD with his arms folded leaning on the wall.)

(DLD moans as his eyes open to see everyone in the room staring at him)

DLD: Wha- where am I?

Phoebus: In Los Angeles, but to be more specific your in one of the 

guest rooms of my mansion.

OSK: Where did gamer go?

Phoebus: Don't know, Don't care. What does that guy have against me away? Seriously from the moment he saw me he.......

OSK: I think we should get back to the subject at hand. Ya know, the human time bomb slash nuke and one Jerry Tanget.

Phoebus: Oh yeah, sorry about that. 

Phoebus (turns to DLD and smiles ): I'm Phoebus and the guy glaring at you is oh-ess-kay. You put up quite a fight a while ago. . .

DLD : I'm. . . The Dragon Lord Descendant, but you can call me Luke. Why am I here?

OSK (smirks): 'Cause you couldn't handle your liqeur. 

(Ignoring OSK, a puzzled look came over Phoebus' face.)

Phoebus: So what you're saying is you don't know how you got here?

DLD: Yup, its pretty much as fuzzy as a polar bear in a sand storm. Eeh eeeh? Hehe

(OSK rolls his eyes while Phoebus smiles because he found DLD's attempt to make make a joke humorous)

DLD: Well it sounded funner when I was thinking it up.

OSK: Speaking of jokes, my friend told me a joke the other day. Its pretty funny; A pirate walked into a bar with a stiring wheel on his crotch and.....

Phoebus (frowns): I don't think I like where this is going-

OSK: Don't worry this is one of the cleanest jokes I know.

Phoebus (sighs): Ok, lets hear it.

(OSK rolls his eyes at Phoebus's presumption of authority)

OSK: Anywho; the bar tender says, "Do you know that you have a steering wheel on you crotch?" and the pirate says, "Arhhhh, it be driving me nuts all aday."; Heeeheee haaahaahaaahaaahaaaahaaa.!

Phoebus (slaps himself on his forehead): Geeeezzzz........and this is the cleanest joke you know?!

OSK (grins): Hey there ain't nothing dirty about it. Its one of the funniest 

clean jokes I have ever heard.

Phoebus (sighs): Nevermind just forget it.

DLD: I don't get it. Why in the heck would someone have a steering wheel on there crotch?

Phoebus: So! You mentioned a temple earlier, what did you mean?

(As soon as Phoebus finished that sentence he felt a huge wave of sadness, grief, and anger; coming from DLD. DLD's face turns dim after he starts to remembers what had happened at the temple.)

Phoebus: Is there something you wanted to tell us?

(Phoebus senses that DLD is trying to hide his feelings)

DLD: No, not really. So tell me about you guys. (DLD then turns to OSK) Uuuhh-uhh what's your story? What does your name even stand for?

(A smerk comes across osk's face)

OSK: It stands for One Shot Kill, I'm half demon, and that's all you need to know.

DLD (turns to Phoebus): And 'Fo-Bus' what about you. You seem nice.

(Phoebus smiles)

Phoebus: Thanks for the compliment.

DLD: Well, you are nice you don't even know me and you bring me to you house.

(BEEEEEP BEEEEP)

Voice in the intercom: The pizza is here Cody and I took the liberty of setting out beverages. Everything is set in the third dining room. Oh, one last thing, your friend gamer asked for your phone number before he left. So I gave him your cell. I'll be in the rose garden if you need anything else.

DLD: Is that your mom?

Phoebus: No, but sometimes i caller that on an accident.

osk: Yeah.... I called a guy mom once. He wasn't too happy.

Phoebus (turns to his guest and smiles) : shall we eat?

[1 hour and forty five minutes later]

(Gamer sighs while doddling in the dirt on the floor in one of 

Tanget's prison cells)

Gamer: Where are those guys?

[back at phoebus's manison]

OSK: what tha %^#@!!!!! how in the hell does paper beat rock!

DLD: It just does?

Phoebus: uhh OSK, language.

osk: Oh, sorry about that.

Phoebus (sighs): And could you keep it down I'm sorta on the phone.

DLD: I think paper wraps around rock. 

OSK: But rock tear through paper.

DLD: Not if paper imoblizes it.

OSK: Well, rock would set paper on fire.

DLD: Paper would just put out the fire and throw rock into the sun

OSK: The rock's buddy named scissor would cut paper into pieces and rock would win!

DLD: No way, rock didn't win. Scissor did and scissor wasn't even in the fight to begin with. So paper wins.

Phoebus: Guys! (they pay attention to Cody) It looks like your going to have to postpone this discussion. Some guy who calls him self Thoughsniper says that Gamer is in trouble.

Osk slowly gets up form the dinner table and made his way to Cody.

"So, where, exactly, is Gamer?" Osk asked looking down to the seated host.  The dark-haired privileged youth turns his head tilting up his chin to dark-skined 'evil fighter' with a worrisome look on his face responding, "At Tanget's underground base."

"How do we know we can trust this ThoughtSniper guy? For all we know we could be walking into a trap," Osk stated. His arms shivered in frustration.

"Does it look like we have a choice?" Phoebus answered with a shrug.

"So when do we leave?" Luke interrupted from his seat, still. He could apparently understand them with ease.

"We-uh- you want to come?" Phoebus asked with a puzzled look on his face. This youth's emotional state of being was just confusing, "You just-"

Something stopped him just before the words the words from the land-tossed youth came out, "I'm game if you are, Hahahahaha! Do ya get it?" Both Phoebus and Osk frowned across the table at him in unison. 

"Not funny," Osk responded.

"Sorry, sometime I just can't help myself!" Luke exclaimed with a wide grin in affected belly laugh. He kept one eye close; _to hide his pain_. 

"That's all right", Phoebus responded, soothing Luke's received nervousness and covering his own. It was hard to think of this recently unconscious foreigner as comprehensive and articulate.

"We're leaving just before nightfall to meet with Thoughtsniper at Starbrucks."

"Why so late?" Luke asked disparagingly peering with his eyes at the Decon and Cody.

"So we can have time to rest up, and I'm going shopping," his nose scrunched as his tone shifted to that of lecturer, "Its helps me think!" he then seems displeased at himself, readjusts his breathing and attitude in an instant appends, "You guys can come if you want."

Luke and the half-demon simultaneously declined Phoebus's offer.  Phoebus's faces became more as it had been, calmed but with a soulful softness. He stood up slide a hand into his pocket calmly offering another hospitality.

*   *    *

"Yeee!" the young Asian man splashed into the indoor/outdoor pool as Osk watched scarfing more pie.

It was a few hours later as Luke was toweling off that Cody returned with a new, expensive, and chique wardrobe.  His assistant stood behind and to the side of him as he smirked and nodded, "Well guys, I'm ready let's go."

OSK scoffed a little but followed to the limosine.  Luke looked about curiously this was definitely different from his temple life.  The car's body filled his irises as he reached his hand as in a trance to touch the smooth and spotless surface.  Cody moved to stop him, then-

shhhh-wumph

Cody kissed the hard smooth paint of his limo even the crevice of the trunk.  His head was swimming from the rush of blood to it.  He grimaced.  Luke backed away shaken and then shoved his hands in his pockets.

The limo ride to the rendez-vous was surprisingly lacking in tension between the displaced youth and the privileged social-worker.  Empathic Cody understood what had happen and so had Luke with a few choice words.  OSK was the only one radiating such barely ignorable rage the driver kept darting eyes to the rear. 

They had pulled off the highway and were onto the street towards the downtown coffeehouse when OSK ended brooding with a declaration, "Stop the car."

Cody raised an eyebrow and began to object but seemed to be held back by something.

OSK responded anyway, "Look you're obviously new to this.  I don't mean the evil fighting.  I mean the underground.  I am not.  Informants are not by themselves, not the professional useful ones.  They have watchers and coming in this big rod is nice if you're a syndicate leader, but with us.. that's suicide.  We get off three blocks from."

Cody thought about it and then smirked "Okay!"

The limo pulled up and stood at a curb.  Cody gave the driver instructions on where to meet then disembarked.  Out stepped one Caucasian with French blood, a black youth with demon blood 'raised' in Japan, and then an American Born Chinese ((psst comic by Gene Yang I demand you read it www.humblecomics.com)).  Now they were band together to meet a concerned stranger, or as OSK suggested a front man, to save some southern kid with a loudmouth and a strange power.

The stuff (he daren't call it coffee) was way too uneven.  The flavor part water and part mass.  _They obviously kept in business in name not by product, typical outlet._  He adjusted his hair and rubbed at a tense point at the rim of his eyes beneath his large squarish glasses.  _So many people here_.  It was hurtful on the ears.  Not to mention he was having trouble thinking for himself what words to say.  He had practiced so much, hours before, but now the performance could be undone with a bit of stage nerves.  He then glanced to the window of the shop.  Knowing just then they approached.

Cody was also feeling uneasy.  Downtown had a much rawer but also more hardened emotion-scape.  Places of business that sold wares influenced the atmosphere.  It hit with their projections and then he felt the 'reality.'  And then there was something else.  Familiar.  Fear?  It was hard to say.  His companions' moods were apparent to him but they felt more distant than their contact.  He let OSK take point.  He was invincible or something like it.  He didn't feel watched.  But couldn't be sure.  His empathy could be more a weakness than an advantage.  Perhaps Thoughtsniper knew of it.  Like he knew of Gamer and this Jerry.

Luke was still amazed by the city life.  After seclusion in an obscur Chinese temple it was a quantum leap.  The light felt different here.  And the boys around him.. about his age were actually friends of a sort.  Luke's eyes sought something.

A young kid who fit the crowd like any other raised his hand.  He could have been raising it to anyone in the shop he blended in so well with the scenery.  Cody then noted what was so familiar about him.  He didn't really project his own self in the store so much as let it move through him. He was receptive like Cody!?

His hair was long and straight slicked it back and kept out of the way of glasses only a mom would get him.  Phoebus smirked an appraisal.  Almost good looking if he put on some weight, but he was too sharp, too angular to be considered anything more than 'kinda cute in a geeky sort of way'.  He had a simple black tee and jeans.  A wonder he fit in with the bustling bourgeois at all but his manner was supplementing his outfit.

"Hello, uh uh uh, over here?" he said.  Luke noted this kid seemed at place but a stranger of the shop.  Not part of its current clientele.  This Thoughtsniper was only boy of his age in around this time.  Its what he had noticed.  An artist's attention to strange detail.  And an only child's.

"Is that the one?" OSK asked hissing low with gritted teeth walking in a strange path.  Cody felt the wariness so nodded emphatically.  The black youth trodded to the table and then sat, shortly join at his left and opposite sides by Cody and Luke respectively.

Cody did the talking making OSK bite his lip down, "Thoughtsniper-"

"I presume," the brown hair young white man interjected, "We got your," he seemed to shake something out his mouth, "my.  You got my message and have showed up.  Sorry you're late?" 

OSK narrowed his eyes.  Cody flinched back Luke began rubbing his fingers across a disposable menu mouthing silently.  Luke nimbly tucked up his knees to keep his feet off the things under the table.

"You can uh.. Call me Dwayne if you like.  The walls have ear," he then gave what was supposed to be a nervous jovial laugh.

"You got a roach under the collar?"

Cody was curious as to the meaning but Thoughtsniper-Dwayne's face reset in expression and gutturally answered, "No ya got a shiv up your ass?"

OSK seemed taking back by this shift.  Dwayne frowned sipping more of his coffee.  Phoebus fingered an umbrella sack.  There wasn't a chance of storm but what it held could extend ready to hold off the pouring of blood.

Luke flopped down his menu and flagged a waiter, "A oatmeal muffin, please!"

OSK resumed interrogation, "Who are you?  And why are you doing this?"

"I've told you, Decon.

"When did I give you my name?" OSK interrupted.

The kid continued, "Call me Dwayne and I am Thoughtsniper.  I don't like Jerry Tangent as much as Gamer and you need my help.  Since you can't track him."

OSK's face scrunched up as his mouth opened again Phoebus quickly took up mediation, "You're obviously very talented and uh resourceful to have this information on Jerry Tangent.  Right now.  Its just-"

"I'm not with some rival syndicate."

"We think otherwise," Luke piped eyes still on his menu."

Dwayne clenched his hands together and tried not to yell out his throbbing frustration,  "He's a modern day pirate and fence.  He has to be stopped.  And he.. he's holding a lot of people uh captive.  OR just two..I'm not sure?"

"What kinda crap intel is this.  Make up your mind are you hardcore or just some dimestore stool pigeon.  Or a fronter for a trap!"

"This isn't like with Akira, One-Shot Kill.  This is genuine.  I want to take a bad man down"

"AND HOW DO YOU KEEP-"

Luke interjected with a mouthful of muffin, "Can you take us there?  Is he safe?"

"Not sure about the second but the first.  Oh yeah.  Also about Clique."

"What about them?"

"She's a trained assassin.  Better than you perhaps.  On loan from the Four Falls."

OSK became thoughtful at this and then his rage receded to anxiety.

"Look I'd rather start discussing our target ya see," he pulled up a tube container from Kinko's "I need to brief you on a lot more than that pretty thing."

And so he popped open the tube and rolled out one seamap and then another with outlines of the base.  And then several clear binder briefs with different hued plastic clips.  Luke flipped his open and was amazed, "You even write in my families language?"

Dwayne lopsided a toothy grin to Luke and began his briefing.  Cody was easily catching this meant a lot to the informant so decided to go with it but had a better idea.

"How about we do this in mm-the limo?"

The four recently met teens paid at the register as the newest got his trench coat.  The unnamed four exited the place and met up with the luxury car down the street.

The informant rolled out his map on the floor of the limo.  Hebegan, "Jerimiah Tangent, son of Kelly Tangent and one of his then favored sea sl.. uh ya knows.  The Tangents are the legitimate face of an old pirate clan.  They sailed the seas since before era colonial.  They learn to have a legit fencer on the stands and slowly they ascended to the position of Mosk-En.

"You're kidding.  A a pirate?" Phoebus responded next to Dwayne trying but failing not to recall Dustin Hoffin in a silly overloaded with accessories braided doublet, "And his title is similar to a shellfish?"

Dwayne grimaced and continued, "He dresses normally and hasn't been to raid for years.  That title is head of the clan.  It's been passed through that family for five generations."

"Many may raid expensive freighters and some fight illegal environment harming," Luke opposite the two of them offered though he apparently felt apprehension and not appreciation.

"Jerry's all business.  The Tangents avoid most busts because they're more the transport service than the actual, ya know leaders and controlling orgs.  Until Jerry.  He's made Tangent Enterprises a significant transport and shipping venue for the semi-legit linking them with the illegal and then, well, implicating his clients."

"Okay you lost me," OSK griped next to Luke though not seated.  He was crouched low noting the map.

 "It was a kinda blackmail that assured he got old and new money support quickly.  With a little backdoor tactics he secured himself a path and his company began to expand to an actual syndicate.  There's even talk of a Triad and mafia induction as a bridge member.

Understanding dawning OSK even clarifies, "Privilege of both but slave to none.  Sweet deal if you can grasp it.

"I am not liking your familiarity with such horrible person," Luke said.

Phoebus only looked on as Dwayne continued, "Ya, well needless to say with such a recent power move there's been stress.  Sloppiness from his usual work."

After a pause Thoughtsniper continued, "Hence his recent expansions on the white trade on the East coast and the bust near here.  Also his hiring of Clique from the Four Falls"

"Yeah, the upstart assassin cadre?" OSK said, "I mean really where are you getting this from?  They were beer talk back in the biz."

Cody's eyebrows raised and furrowed on really confused.  He put out fires where and when they came.  But all this, this intimacy with the darkness and seediness of society, the matter-of-fact repartee about murderers and prostitutioners and racketeers, and the causal way they felt about it made him uneasy.  Then it hit him how worse Tangent was to instill this into others.

"What, those source of all assasins?" Luke inquired pointedly still on the point about Clique's employers.

OSK rolled his eyes, "What a baby.  C'mon man its just front for a bunch of yokels to make them scared.  They don't have Triad or Mafia power so they say 'we are the crown of assasins or some such $#@^'  They just a bunch of dipwad punks with decent swig of cred."  Cody understood, being something of a maven on myths and reality.  He'd be inclined to agree if he'd felt Decon himself was as sure as he was sounding.

"Whoah!  Hold on you're way educated about organized crime in Asia?" TS answered, just as the thought struck Phoebus himself.  A very strong revelation finally crystallized for Cody.

"I was raised there.  I mean in Japan.  A syndicate toad's dog."

Phoebus was taken back, "Uh!"

"Don't worry, I got treats," he snarked.  Phoebus couldn't doubt the meaning of that.  [I]No wonder he was so glazed with rage and discontent.[/I]

Luke narrowed his eyes, "I don't like Syndicate."

"Ex-Syndicate.  I turned and left.  I fight evil now.  Not do it, okay.  Look focus- HE'S the weirdo talking about stuff he can't possibly know about!  And don't tell me he got this layout alone.  I mean coordinates for an unlisted island and even blueprints for the infrastructure?"

"I hack well." TS said bashfully, "You need to understand.  I'm not a threat.  Really.  I, I just learn stuff easy it's . . .a talent."

Cody sharply interjected, "I'm certain he's honest.  But still this does seem but convenient.  And it looks like your map of the base is incomplete.

"This is the proposed setting.  He used different sets of contractors to build the whole thing.  This only has the permanent unchangeable professional stuff.  They needed to outsource to dig out the island and build in the main walls."

Cody got it, "So a lot of paid off contractors knew.  Or had records that leaned to them knowing.  Shipping manifests.  Inventory requisitions that stuff."

TS nodded then added, "But the migrants they used for the basic labor were too big a risk.  Some of them are clan. Most are fertilizer, literally, the entire third quarter shipment."

"So this map is likely inaccurate?" Luke asked tracing green on it with his fingers. 

"Don't do that I can't buy-huh WHAT??"  TS was surprised as the green lifted off the paged and then formed a wireframe model...that vanished.  The other three stared.

"Uh," Phoebus raised a finger shakily, "Gunt, to the house?"

"How did you do that?" Phoebus yelled

"I am Dragon Lord," Luke asserted.

OSK glared at him, "A freak.  LIKE ME?"

"No, destined.  I-look we've wasted many hours.  Surely Gamer could be-"

"Alright," Thoughtsniper called from Cody's desktop.  He had be allowed use and had strangely been involved like his brain was offshore.

"What!" Phoebusy yelled.  He got up and ran to Dwayne, dressed to go he couldn't believe it.  He'd been quietly imagining horrid fates of torture and humilation for the teen.

"He's imprisoned they've interrogated him, some but so far he's okay?"  TS's tone seemed as if he was talking to someone else but then his face communicated assurance.

"This from a computer," OSK asked skeptically.

"From a guard," Dwayne's elbow was on his knee as he spoke his hands motioning "We duel backgammon with Yahoo.  And chat.  He recognized a boy similar to Ro- Gamer and then uh well he's big news."

"Why is that?" Luke asked eager and sharp.  Glad to not be center of such interrogation anymore he still couldn't calm down.

"He's implicated there being a calvary charge by the "smite-y tighties" as they call them.  They're rumors of a JLA sting.  So,"  TS let the last hang.

"High alert," OSK immediately vocalized everyone's worries, "Yeah well not like we were planning to use the front door."

Dwayne bit in his lower lip and gained a harden stare, "I've got a more accurate lay of the area too.  And an idea of its current staff.  Good news they aren't prepared for a meta-scale assault but they're always on alert for coast guard and even some naval interference.  Bad news, Clique and some other guys are there.  Just in case."

"This has to be a stealth mission," Phoebus assessed.

"I got a door," Dwayne entoned strongly, "that shouldn't be that heavily guarded.  But we still need transportation to island."  These people wouldn't stop interrupting.

"We can't fly that crappy scifi craft," OSK thumbed to the X-Wing in the garden, "And I don't teleport groups!"

Luke was really impressed, "You can teleport?" then became bashful. 

Phoebus turned a quick examining look from Luke's face to the group as something dawned on him at memory of last night, near the water, "I have that covered!"

"You own a stealth helicopter or a sub?" OSK wondered really not ready but not unsuspecting the possibility.

"Better!"

(one hour later)

"You're just ludicrously wealthy, aren't you?" Osk just covered his head.  The salt air irritating his dread-strained scalp and tickled his eyes.

"When did you get this for your birthday?" Luke asked sitting behind them out on the deck.

"It's not mine?" Phoebus laughed.  He was in a thin jogging suit to cover his outfit, no reason to give a full show until setting foot on the island.

"Shipjacking, my, my and here I thought you were all strai- well uh by the book" TS smarmed.

"No its from Mister Spears.  Ya see my dad and him know each other and I helped him with some stuff and he lets us use the thing when he's off and about." Phoebus explained turning the wheel.

"You handle it nice.  Very well and after little time to experience," Luke praised with an unsaid purpose.

"Aw, these things practically run themselves besides the real fun is when we hit unregulated waters.  That's where the pirates attack," he steered the motored yacht a few more degrees to the left careful eye on the plugged in coordinates on his locator.

"Hold on, that is so not our plan, right?" OSK worried.

"No. It isn't," Cody answered, "Though we should plan for it.  These guys aren't swords and striped shirts.  An armed chopper.  A trained super assassin team.  Satellite T1 connection."

Dwayne was then listening to Luke.  He was smiling politely as he was inquired about where did his Canton and Mandarin flourish around these parts.  Or if he could hack satellites for photos of military observation.

Phoebus decided now was a good a time as any to broach the subject, "Why are you upset all the time?"

"Get raised in a spartan room pulled out to eat, sleep, train, and crap on schedule from age four then get handed a knife and pointed at a stranger, accomplish that only to be made to do it again and again get masticated a new one each day by your "father" until you learn the truth and ask me that question." OSK snided.  Bitterness and envy and even a little disgust swirled through him.

Phoebus's stomach knotted as he continued, "So, I take it your mom uh didn't approve of your dad's lifestyle?"

"She was a textbook oyabun's wife.  Well other than she liked strays.  My real mom...she cacked at the foot of Ji-san's manor.  She was discovered as a demon shortly after and then Cleanerz came for me.  Ji-san fought them off and put an alert out on them.  But it cost Syndicate resources and turned out for very personal and un-Syndicate interests.  He thought he was being singled out by religious nuts.  The Yak heads figured he was a tail worth losing so brought some heat on him.  Whole lotta sacrifice he wanted a lot of payoff.  Ugh...look I don't wanna talk about it.  I'll sum it up.  I've got demon blood in me.  My mom was a demon...and and I don't know who my pop is."

"Oh...and Akira?"

"Some self absorbed teep just wanting a seat upgrade.  Used the info in my head and then whined about how we were friends.  Don't like mindreaders.  One of my first kills."

Phoebus became very uneasy and then glanced to TS via mirror responding "Tough life!"

"Yah, its not be all crumpets and J Crue."

Phoebus sighed, "They all assume.  You know not all us readers are bad."

"Say what?" Osk's arms swung low and wide away from his body as he leaned to study his peer's eyes.

"Ah, well ya see.  I could well feel people's uh emotions since I was real young.  I went to ghetto-slum in Mexico when I was really.. well it all hit.  Headshrinkers failed then we came upon, alternative counseling.  A gypsy."

"That lady in over the intercom?" Osk asked

Phoebus decided some mystique was in order, "She has many skills.  Ahem, I was taught to control my power.  Really was great."

"So you go from Deanna Troi to Roman Light Centurian?" Osk asked not following with the other demonstrations of Phoebus's ability.

"Uh, well ya see that's not me.  I mean not really.  I have this," he fished the now the size of cordless phone, "I found it in Greece when I was fifteen.  It reacted to me and then uh," the scepter began to extend and glow, "Well did that.  Also this man appeared.  Blonde and in a royal ancient Grecian outfit.  It was Apollo himself.  He uh said I could have his caduceus?"

"Why," Osk asked, "Well I mean its powerful and aren't Olympic gods evil? I mean I only watched Herc and Xee, so-"

"I uh maybe the reincarnation of someone he loved a long time ago.  Dark forces target this man for his favor by the god of light and then so this scepter was crafted for his defense.  If it reacted with me than that means we are connected."

"And so that's it.  You're were once a priest or something of Apollo and now you're a silver spooned trust fund boy.  So you get all these powers?" Osk asked a little incredulous.

"Hey it isn't logical.  And I don't know maybe Apollo seems to think I am," Phoebus twirled the scepter and then ran his thumb at the end of it at the other hand was firm at the handle.  His elbow was holding on one of the rungs to keep course with the yacht.

"Ah, I see," Osk finally got what had been upsetting Gamer

"What!" Cody blushed and shrunk down the scepter and replaced it in his pants just focusing ahead.

"Uh hmm.  Well, I hope that works out but my mom.  I mean that jerk's wife.  Well she told me more than a few stories about this sorta thing.  He could be using you.  Or abusing you before you know it."

"Look Apollo is a little flakey but, really, not all gods are"

"I meant high class hook ups.  You wouldn't be the first  High but ignoble class dude to shag in private and get staked in public," Osk thought about it and then smiled, "But no big deal for me.  Besides.  Might even need to meet this guy."

"'Kay uh-oh.. here we are," Phoebus killed the engine and began to slow the bow.  Just then weighing anchor.  They were miles from it but out just beyond the choppy waves was the lumping of rock.  A secret well watched passage for nautical entry Phoebus couldn't see.  Even touching the sceptre.  Bhe he new just angled right was a well used and comparably recently renovated hideout for one of the world's foremost rising criminal masterminds at sea.

This was the headquarters to Tagent Pirate Clan.

"Everyone we're going ashore.  Get dressed and flushed," Phoebus yelled, "This is a rescue mission.  And hey think we should synchronize watches?"

Osk looked  apathetic at his companion.  Perhaps he wasn't as bright on the inside as out.

Dwayne, now insisting on Thoughtsniper had slipped on a dark fendora of his from below deck and his trenchcoat again.  Luke was still in his previous clothing though practicing kata and stance and chanting in a foreign language to cleanse and prepare himself.  Phoebus was tickled at the perceiving of the ritual.  It always gave him a strange feeling, not from the others, just within himself as a person prayed.  Though obviously this was very important and true to young asian he felt God wasn't going to aide the growing restlessness in the boys spirit.

Cody walked down to him  raising to rap his knuckles within the cabin's stairway.  Luke's eyes broke open and he turned on his heels straight to his host, "Hello, Cody!"

"Hello, uh, Luke," Phoebus was unnerved, okay he'd known he was there, "Listen, you obviously are new in town.  And I've been thinking this has been rather unfair-"

"I asked to come and got on the boat because I wanted to.  Besides fair is not the point duty and destiny are."

Phoebus folded his arms and then Luke broke out in a grin and then laughter, "Sorry, I uh couldn't help myself.  Really really.  I can't go back.  Not like I came.  And even if I did I'd be running from those who need me.  I can't back out."

"Look, uh Dragon Lord," Phoebus began as his scepter awakened and his eyes glowed, "We all are a little experienced or at least knowledgeable about the danger," a surge or indignation, "Now wait, I'm not calling you a coward.  Just well, I know what you're feeling.  You got skills.  My jaw reminds me of that.  But everything is just too new to you.  And if something goes down.  We may not be able to watch you."

Luke thinks and then scrunches his face, not sure how to approach this.  Phoebus felt an urgency and a longing.  As if for answers.  Or an item

"No!" Phoebus objected at the realization of what was to be asked.

"You are very perceptive," Luke complimented then held up his index finger as precession for, "But it is my ring."

"That thing I.. look it was burning on your hand.  We had to take it off.  And I am not sure we need you becoming our worst enemy again!" Phoebus fumbled to explain.

"I think I've shown now I am not an enemy.  Or anyone.  I am Dragon Lord Descendant.  And that is the Dragon Lord's ring.  You should give it to me.  Or I will not be able to inforce the justice and aid needed for this mission."

"Why should I risk

"Because we will face many armed guards and Clique and likely Tangent himself.  You had Gamer and still she nearly killed you.  I was able to defeat OSK

"You uh, lost" Phoebus pointed out

"I was still ABLE" he asserted face flushed in embarrassment, "With the ring and me unified once more.  And in a proper state of mind for a good purpose I promise I won't go crazy again."

"Unless some computer distracts you!" Phoebus spat back.

"You were trusted with great power yourself in a short time.  You aren't much older than me.  And I promise to fight to rescue your friend,"

"He's not my friend he's just some critical hick with some weird companions.  I'm surprised he's not being sold on the black market.  Or gotten himself out

"Thus indicating the direness of the situation.  Besides surely I am more worthy of trust than Dwayne-sniper."

Phoebus relents and then reaches into his flair pants and tosses the ring to the Dragon Lord.  Catching it deftly out of the air he spins it so it is a hole in tips of his fingers, "You won't regret," he begins as with one hand he slips it on.  And his hair glimmers, "This"

Streaks of green become radiant with the assuming of the ring.  Phoebus worries but then floats himself upstairs.  Not seeing the hiccup of green firey aura for the split second it manifests.

And thus they prepared for their first mission against the uncrowned tyrant king.


	3. Issue 3 by The Writist II and RT

The New Young Justice

Issue 3

By The Writist II and RT/manticoraus

Everyone was on deck.  Luke, his prayer beads about his right wrist; Cody, in his armored corset and flair pants in the middle holding up the divine scepter from Apollo; Osk, scowling and tense with rage and anxiety banishing the bits of fear; and Thoughtsniper, dressed like a particularly 'kewl' larper but for his extra large glasses.  They were ready to infiltrate a secret base off the coast of California undetected.

It was simple.  Phoebus made an egg-shaped globe.  Luminous but unobstructing it was large to hold enough air to take them into the water.

Underneath the waves they 'flew' through the depths the bluish tint of the sea mixing with the field's gold produced an ambient verdant.  It was a cool dusky moss-hue light that played over their bodies.  Making Phoebus's 'white eye' more a pea.  It was a foreboding omen to OSK.

The color didn't bother Decon near as much as the slithering cold invading from outside.  There it was.  The literal tons of frigid water waiting on the other side of a film of light as air was surely growing thick and stale.  OSK had been less than candid back at Cody's estate.  He might could teleport to the island, even himself and perhaps three others. But he could just as "might" miss and fall into the gnawing cold waters.  The hypothermia could make one unfocused, confused, stiff and then unconscious.  The still living who experienced this sank until equilibrium met at many yards depth lost in the vastness for so long unless by sheer chance warmed to activity in the world's most vast surface, more shroud than in any jungle.  A person could be dying in the seas forever if he were immortal.  His fire smothered condemned to a fate worse than death as an innocent was thoroughly purged by block and blade then trap and false hope of any information to assuage a syndicate alpha- NO he needed to focus out of his little horror scenario.  OSK couldn't wait to get his body out of the fickle water and his fist into the nearest pirate capo's chest.

OSK had so intense a mind it lead Dwayne astray.  Dwayne had to squint hard to focus past OSK and Cody's thoughts.  He stood close to the middle as he could directing from behind Cody who's mind radiated with energy from the scepter he held.  Between the gloom of his own thoughts, the flare of Cody's tense consideration, and the volatile stream of consciousness from Decon, if not for Luke's current semi-calming mental exercising the- easily claustrophobic- transport and company would have made Thoughtsniper a basket case.  He was already struggling with the map in his PDA.

The navigation was not easy.  You simply didn't move in straight line in the sea.  Currents, life, vision distortion within the waters made the trip a struggle to advance and a difficulty to scout out points of reference.  OSK's unease stoked TS's own.  This was a freaky way to travel with turtles and plankton and eels a hairbreadth from the soles of your feet.    Luke was concerned but on another level that kept such worries just out of TS's general listening range.  Dwayne was frustrated with his errant regulation of his power.  Without something to help he'd just be hearing the surface too clearly not deepening his insight.

"In, sight, hahahahaah," he snickered softly.

Cody had to, again, recollect one of them and reinforce the direction, "I realize the puns too good," his voice heavy and strained, "But I think your eyes should be finding us that miraculous unguarded back door?"

Dwayne inwardly winced as he again tapped his remote sized computer.  He whisked out his cell to focus on a person with one of their own maybe then work his way to some entrance instructions.  He waved the antenna towards a blurry darker brown mass that should be the island.  Through the transcluent lime egg and ocean that's all the detail he could make out so far.  He turned the end like a dowsing wand pointed a little right and then more left.  His heart nearly stopped.

He couldn't feel anything but Phoebus's mystically blaring mind

"Uh-oh," Phoebus and TS groaned.

"We're lost," Osk tersely accessed.  He pretty much sounded as if he was announcing what was one plus one.  Because it was that obvious did.

And Dwayne knew it as he flubbed for something to help, "No, I mean, yes, but not just uh, the island is right there!" Dwayne responded fingers clumsily moving to hit the right keys.

"My shield,  I think it prevents physical and other things permission."

"So the island can't be found because you won't accept their hospitality," Luke asked breaking his mental cardio."  This sounded awesomely absurd!

"No, not that, I mean permitted to pass, permission.  Stuff can't enter or leave the field," Cody gasped.

"So we're lost," Osk repeated in a remonstrative tone eyes narrowing, "And safe to overload on nitrogen or CO2."

"Guys, c'mon," their desperation and distrust quickening Phoebus, "Positive thinking.  Its just Dwayne can't get a signal out or receive one with the shield up.  I shoulda realized I can't call when its up too I just thought I needed a bigger antennae"

"Size matters?" Luke asked really lost now.

"Well," Cody was flustered his cheeks ready to burst from the blood rush to them

"Oh yeah, I remember now," Dwayne interrupt casting out the exact silhouette of what he was too easily getting from Cody about Luke's accidental entendre, "Ahem, circle the island.  I mean spiral to it surfacing us up bit by bit!"

"Right," Cody complied twisting the scepter with both hands as if so large throttle-stick, "Adjusting by two knots starboard and, hey I'm just goofing," he defended himself to impatient glares questioning his sanity, "Sheesh, a boy has a little fun…" he grumbled.

The globe turned about near the island as it began to raise just as the tip of its head.  It was about ready to break the surface crest when Dwayne saw out an oblong side and slapped Cody's leg.

"Oh oh oh, this it is.  Got it.  The entrance turn around," he was surprised Cody simply hung the sphere still and then did a confusing maneuver that twisted the egg room around them towards where Dwayne pointed.

They were treading down the passage without changing where they faced, "Or do that," Dwayne gulped as Cody leaned the scepter forward pushing the ripe smelling (they'd been nervous and sweaty) space into an underwater cave that formed into a hewn out tunnel.

They bobbed up on the surface of the water, the underside swaying and rocking underfoot as Cody vanished the top half of his force-field letting in the air.  No one was relieved and Dwayne coughed up.  Underwater the jetti had quite the cloying odor and gas from sea carcasses.  The group hopped out to the limestone edge, Pheobus last.  He just hovered flew himself over the solid grimy calcified shellfish coated floor.

Dwayne strode to the entrance proper.  A rectangular and thick armored door it was pressure sealed for when the tide came in.  He quickly smiled and then entered the code he'd had on an sequence of keys disguised under a rock oyster..  The seals kept.  Dwayne's smile strained wide as he redid the sequence.  The door stayed shut and it was rather dark.  This area was meant to be abandoned.  So there was light from just the phosphorous scum-life, Phoebus, and Dwayne's torch.

Decon folded his arms as Thoughtsniper retried again, "I don't understand.  C'mon this has to be it."  Osk strode up to the barrier pushing Dwayne aside with one graceful, for him, palm before and pulling it back to curl into a ball.

"No, wait!" Dwayne yelled his voice echoing just as Osk's entire body warped like a cheap Nick at Nite effect.  Wavering his image as his hue paled from brown and black to white and grey.  Jelly built his dreads seem to raise as if like anemone just flexing mobile as they went mercurial.  Even his clothing altered into the misty blurring undead spirit.

"You're a wight!" Luke yelled pointing out his right hand with jangling of his prayer beads.

"No," Cody's voice resounded confidence as his eyes, infused with the scepter's vision abilities, "It's," the new form seemed to retain Osk's petulance and dived through the armored high grade ceramic door leaving only a wicking layering of its smoke that quickly *va-whssk*'ed in the air.

Dwayne was especially captivated.  This guy broke all the freakin' rules.  A primarily physical and brutal person he hadn't even thought about that ability until now.  What other secrets did Decon Ice hide!

The young self-made info maven could follow with his other sense.  There were others, crowds, but they didn't react to the sight of Decon.  Perhaps becausethey couldn't see him, even Luke in a way had special perception.  Or perhaps Decon could control those who saw him!  Then Dwayne got a bead on the form's thoughts and intentions and awareness.  IT needed a target, a mobile utility, a body.  A human one.  As it, no, he broke the surfaces to check he stayed inside walls and between floor and ceiling -or vice versa depending on point of reference-  Until it found one.  Dwayne had to keep his focus on the unique state of mind so not to lose Osk.  But it was rather easy because of such the oddity he was.  A beetle in a colony of ants.

He lost sight and perspective.  Not sure of the real distance measuring things only relative to the alien and fey pov of the wight.  Even Osk seemed unclear to things with relation to normal existence.  But he was, enough to get the right person.

The door's seals made the tell-tale **phfssst** of its unsealing.  Dwayne was so eager he pulled down his fendora and adjusted his glasses pulling his coat about him.  Not sure why, just a strange impulse as the door pulled up to open.  He ran inside past the man on the other end.  Pathetically small, short, old, and in dockers with a light long sleeve shirt he was balding with soda-coke circle glasses.

Some sorta hispanic, Cody thought, just as he the turned the mole's eyes became unfocus before he fell out and, more unsettling re-entrance the wight pulled out from his body as it reformed into a more human state.

"There, see, door gone, and didn't have to bruise a single knuckle," Decon smirked as he leaned to the door jam rubbing one of his temples, "Rushed it, was a little sloppy.  Not much time.  Let's roll"

***

Her head smashed to the floor.  It doesn't give nearly as much as mattress or pad would.  So it is bare then.  Its old.  Age in the words on the scroll hung to the sides.  The smell of something in the walls and incense in a censer before the weapons rack.  Venerable age echoed from everything in it to her.  Everything but the attacker.  

"You are the one weapon in this dimming age," the voice so commanding, "GET UP, stupid #$@%!"  She doesn't feel her head for assurance.  She pulls up her legs then makes a perfect rocking motion with her waist as fulcrum.  She easily rolls to stand.  She is cut down again by the attacker's spearing hand.

"You are our egg.  You must be strong.  Hatch the future.  The world.  AND always be ready to FIGHT, stupid girl," he again verbally assaults her.  She performs the same maneuver, faster now not waiting to adopt aggressive stance.  

She is sure.  She is twelve.  And she rushes at the target with ferociousness rival the cry of any animal.

And then **she** wakes up.  The thin threadbare sheets not even motel would use.  She turns her eyes about in the near dark.  One, two, three, four walls.  One with door and switch.  Her chest is tight and she can't breath.  It hurts.  She doesn't know where she is.  Or who that was.

Who any of them were.  Why?  No where?  Where is she?

Her quarters.  Not the place listed for Chantel White.  Clique's quarters.  She tensed every muscle then relaxed to step out of her bed.  She needed to calm her nerves.  Soon, the strike might come at any time.  She was ready to kill all who would threaten her employer.  It was her.  Not her job.  Not her passion.  Her.

Then it happened.  Three very unremarkable lights.  Red, yellow, orange.  Right on the wall to the side of a plated knife switch for illumination was the coded alert.  She waited the critical three seconds.  It sounded.  Quickly she pulled up her leotard as she indexed her sisters' status and position.  Good.  She needed to go meet them.

***

The pain as he head lolled on the floor.  He didn't want to have it.  He could barely open one eye.  But the other was sharp to see his obstacle in this doorless room.  Two guards and a card table.  A game like Go Fish or Bid-wuisse or whatever loopy rotted tooth pirates played.  The wire felt like it was cutting into his wrists, again.  He couldn't get at it still to far from his fingertip about his arms.  And with the limbs behind his back he couldn't even kick them off.

Robert was mad, desperate, and hurt.  He'd never felt this helpless without an outlet even though one or perhaps twenty ways to set it right and Tangent fused into a wall (or purreed by his chopper or any way his burning brain could think of to hurt him) was just two yards away.  Two freaking yards to a table of cards.  Playing cards.  Standard.  Not nearly as prepared as a ccg deck but also more versatile if he could play it right.

But for him six feet and fifteen minutes to a weapon was half a foot and a tense finger squeeze for them.  Both had rifles- foreign looking.  But his vision was blurry.  He hadn't been given any water save the cupped bribe that had been splash-slapped at him for making his own demands.  Jerry had offered a bottle after but nearly flooded Gamer's nostrils with it.  Jerry could drown in his sleep inhaling hot salt water.  Gamer hated him so much he had to remember that fate.

Robert had had enough.  He'd grab a card.  Any card and go off the cuff with it.  It might flop but if he laid about anymore he'd pee in his pants and he'd been put through enough.  Solid Snake's interrogation didn't last half this long. So he scrunched his knees under his tummy then stood himself up, no hands, just to rush the table shoulder set.

He bowled the dealer guy over.  His hand, set, and the rest of the deck was across the floor.   The dealer was just on a mis-lain leg but likely not even sprained as Gamer's mouth kissed to the ground.

"GAI! Get back, back down.  Or I shut, with bullet to head," his partner growled standing with the, ah now he could see it was a pump action rifle.  Robert bit coated paper and then spit it on his own chest.  Wetness, with some dark putrid red, dribbled down it's exposed part his half torn shirt.  Then it went off.  The purposeful wailings from the echo-aided sound system.

It was quick.  Back and forth in a language Gamer couldn't translate but knew.  The language of the thug-coward.  Situation serious.  Run so fast as to put fire out on seat of pants.  Forget the job and keep bullets.  Every second is vital.  

And out the door they were.  And soon so was Robert lunging, crashing and then balancing himself to run for anywhere.  It might just be someone jumping the gun about something but maybe the spoon fed freak had called in the calvary.  Whatever the sitch Robert was getting and getting good.

***

OSK, Luke, and Phoebus, respectively, attempted to follow their dark coated guide.  But Thoughtsniper was in a full bolt and the place had more than one divide.  The catacombs of the base of Tangent's clan weren't simple.  Phoebus killed the light as much as he could afford to without turning off his powers.  Osk took point as Luke had to be reminded what bring up the rear meant for the fourth time.

"I'm trained to bring light to darkness!" he protested again walking briskly past Cody.

Osk only half sneered and smirked turning a bit to look at Luke.  The evil fight took in the energy wielder's loud Hawaiian green tone shirt and similarly colored and spike-mousse treated hair.  He had to remind himself they'd traded uneven blows a not too many hours ago.  Luke seemed like a skater they'd hooked in from a beach over pass.  And though he knew it he obviously was still getting the hang of English as a first language.  Osk really wished he'd paid more attention to his schooling in some areas and not used his touch to cheat.

He stopped.  His darkness kin eyes made out a curve in the space.  They'd made it to a wide open area, not a hall.  A relief.  But for the fact it was so dark!

"This place is not supposed to be abandoned just less used," he thought aloud just as Phoebus came up from behind head turning from pushing Luke to the rear to the the fore just that scant second late.

"It's a-"

Then the lights hit.  Osk made an audible but short rasp covering his overly adjusted to the dark eyes.  Phoebus's vision was though heart woundingly clear as Luke only squinted some.  They saw them.  Near fifty guards armed with conventional, military and high-tech weapons.  A few more in wide squatted armors with see through triangular rounded faces holding their pilots standing near two and some meters high.  The variation changed.  No shirt here.  An open chassis there.  Even the ubiquitous bandanna's, sabers, and tattoos.  One had a fire arm with bird feather fetishes another with rags adorned.  But the fact was the same.  These were men ready to fight and shoot.  And kill them now.

"Welcome," a voice sneered, "Or more accurately.  Surrender and prepare to suffer for your intrusion. In case you're wondering.  After the whole heliocopter fiasco we were expecting you.  And our sonar's actual design was more than enough to make movie of your little swirly break in.  So really, what has taken you so long.  And why are you fumbling idiots!  Oh yeah ahem, unleash a torrent of fury by the will of Kai Mosk-En Jerimiah" 

Phoebus was just quick enough to make the futile semi circle wall.

***

Thought Sniper slunk around the corner, keeping his back pressed against the cold metallic wall. His mind probed the area, attempting to sense the presence of any unwanted guards. Sensing nothing, he continued to creep along the wall.

Suddenly something prickled at the back of his sense. He dove forward, hearing the dull thud of a combat boot against metal. Scrambling back to his feet, he came face to face with an enraged Clique, her long leg slowly lowering from its sidekick. Though her movements were slow, Thought Sniper could feel her eyes pinning him where he stood, mesmerizing him like a cobra's. 

"Hmph. More perceptive than you look."

_This girl must have some serious skills. She disguised her presence until it was almost too late…_Thought Sniper clenched his hands in front of him, aiming two fingers towards Clique. Suddenly a sparkling sphere of blue energy shot forth, like a bullet. Clique flung herself to the side with almost inhuman speed, but the attack glanced off her shoulder.

A curse of pain erupted from her lips, but moments later she was darting forward, kicking Thought Sniper in the gut. His vision grew blurry as he felt the wind forced from his lungs with the intense exhaustion from the strained use of his power. 

"Dammit! My entire arm is numb! What the hell did you do?" She grabbed his jaw in a vice-like grip, which almost immediately softened. Her eyes, which had been brown and sharp with focused fury, grew hazy and unfocused, as if the world around her was invisible.

Thought Sniper felt the bizarre tingle of a psychic link being formed, but as his mind attempted to sift into Clique's he found himself repelled. Mentally shrugging, he shoved the dazed assassin away. She cried out, a mewling, soft noise, as she landed in a sprawled out position across the frigid floor. Ignoring this, Thought Sniper began to sprint away.

"You bastard! What the hell did you do to her?" an English accented voice echoed out. Another Clique, clad in an artfully ripped uniform and excessive jewelry, leapt from the shadows. Her fist hammered into Thought Sniper's jaw, spinning him around once before he dropped to the ground.

Clique A paused, gazing at the unconscious young man and touching her fingers to her temple gingerly, confusing written across her ivory features. "What the bloody hell did you do to _us_?"

***

It had been a valiant effort.  But it was over before it began.  The armors had flight capabilities and another set of troops had come from behind.  And then in the chaos they'd been separated.  A swarm of striped soldiers covered them, this would be typically when they could bust loose and then the enemy.  Until a Clique had entered. Joining the ambush with a deciding bowie knife.  It's teeth just not biting into Gamer's neck.  He was spitting epitaphs and obviously had been caught in the middle of his own foray through the catacombs of the base.  It had been a reluctant but sure surrender by all three desperate individuals.

Cody winced as his arm was twisted behind his back, the insisting barrel of his captor's gun prodding him along the catwalk. A rank, chemical smell assaulted his senses, causing him to gag and his eyes to water slightly. 

"What the-"

"Shut it, kid!" The gun barrel sharply rapped against his shoulder blade, silencing any further protests.

As he stepped into the harsh light, the wave of emotions that swirled around him nearly brought him to his knees. Fear, confusion, pain, anger, shame, all swirled together to form an incorporeal fist that hit Cody like a sledgehammer. He groaned, lurching forward out of his guard's grip to balance unsteadily against the railing. The guard muttered something and firmly grabbed a handful of Cody's blue-striped shirt. 

As Cody calmly pulled himself beyond the emotions around him, he took a glance at the cavernous room in front of him. The sight hit him as hard as the emotions of the room did.

It took no contemplation to discern the epicenter of those emotions; hanging suspended in midair by glowing shackles was Decon. He was limp, his eyes unfocused and his breathing shallow.

_Oh God, he's drugged,_ Cody realized. A few yards below him was a vat, the source of the chemical smell. It was filled with a bubbling, greenish liquid, steam gathered over it like mists over a pond in chilled morning. Cody assumed it was acid.

Another glance revealed Thought Sniper beside a woman Cody recognized as Clique. His hands were bound behind his back, and there was a painful looking bruise on his cheek.

Gamer and Luke stood nearly below Cody's position, held at gunpoint by several camouflage-clad guards. Luke's finger was painfully devoid of his ring.

_That's everyone, then . . . _Cody thought to himself. The guard holding him was a burly, muscular man, and armed. The man beside them was just as big, but unarmed. In his greasy hands he held Cody's scepter.  A gleam of light peeled across its surface, almost pleading Cody to take it back. 

Then Jerry Tangent himself stepped into view, in all his facial treatments and overly personalized Armani glory. Heavily bleached teeth flashed in a cheesy grin, and his painfully styled shoulder blade-length hair gleamed its overneccesary purple highlights in under the intense lamps not hiding the receding hairline.

"Ha! To be found out by a bunch of kids," he orchestrated as if for a slide presentation, "not even mainstream heroes, but a handful of nobodies" paused for digging a finger into his temple as if cleaning his ear, a repulsive east coast exec mannerism, "It's really kind of embarrassing, isn't it? Bad for my image and all that." He shrugged arms out at sides elbows bent up casually dismissive.

Cody felt his blood boiling. 

"I simply can't let this get out. You there, on the catwalk. You're the Diamant kid, aren't you? You of all people should understand the importance of maintaining image! Your parents got lucky, getting such a charismatic kid. And openly gay, too. A liberal's dream. Who would've thought you were a super hero?  Tsk, tsk, doncha know they're a force supporting the corrupt stale regime."  He did a humming chuckle that made captive throats burn to scream choke on the b.s. he flung.

Cody's deep brown eyes narrowed, flashing dangerously. "For one who cares so much about appearance, you obviously don't work on your physical one very much."

Patting his soften middle his mouth leered "Oh, how catty. Well . . . I guess it's no secret that all of you will have to die. Such a pity . . . the youth of America and all that."

_Jesus, we're screwed._

***


	4. Issue 4 by The Writist II and RT with sp...

(This is waaay long)

The New Young Justice

Issue 3

By The Writist II and RT/manticoraus

The sound of footsteps on metal echoed into Luke's ears. He glanced up, briefly seeing Cody's pained face over the rail of the catwalk, before it was jerked from his view. Luke noticed with dismay that Cody had reverted to his civilian guise. Fashionable though it supposedly was, it meant that he had been disarmed of his scepter.

Luke knew that his ring was clutched in the warm palm of the wiry man nearest to him, perhaps of crucial aid. If he wanted it for escape he would have to rely on his skills. He knew he was quick enough to take out the two men guarding him, but he would still be open to fire from the other guards. Luke had no delusions of his skill; no mere human, trained in ancient martial arts or not, was quick enough to take down all those guards and guarantee the safety of those about him.  And the other captive was all but disabled.  The boy nearest to him was probably Gamer. He was unarmed, covered in purplish bruises and lacerations, and likely couldn't handle himself in a fight too well. 

Luke glanced back up to OSK. He was obviously drugged; with Luke unarmed OSK was the most dangerous member of the group, and they intended to dispose of him first. Luke guessed that they knew none of their weapons could truly kill OSK; the liquid that looked like an acid was probably the only thing they thought could completely destroy him.

Pondering this, Luke realized his only option of escape was to take out the man with his ring, grab it, and run in the distraction OSK's gruesome death would probably cause. But then the other heroes would be left to die alone, an unacceptable sacrifice. Luke steeled himself, calling upon all his discipline to ward off the oncoming fear as he studiously ignored the rambling of the tall, mid-set man in the center of the room. 

Suddenly he noticed a movement from the corner of his eye. The girl guarding Thought Sniper raised her muscled arm, her Uzi aimed towards a man in front of a console. The clap of gunfire echoed through the room and the man fell, crimson blossoming on his lab coat. 

"What the hell?" Tangent spun, his expensive shoes squealing on 

A serious of battle cries rang out, and several more Cliques came pouring into the room, falling upon the shocked guards like a pride of lionesses upon a herd of zebra. 

The room exploded in chaos.

***  
  


As he felt the panic and confusion levels in the room spike, Cody calmed his own nerves and reacted. He grabbed the wrist of his captor, which was so thick both of his hands barely made their way around it, and jerked forward, twisting with all of his strength and speed. Managing to get the leverage just right, Cody flung the gorilla-like guard over the rail of the catwalk.

"Ha! Your self-defense instructor show you that one, rich boy?" the other guard laughed.

Cody lunged, managing to get one hand around his scepter and plowing his other fist into the man's ruddy face. He felt his knuckles go numb with the impact.

"That scepter is mine you son of a -" Cody was cut off as the man, unfazed by his attack, drove his scepter into his chest. A sharp pain spiked through him, and Cody was flung back against the rail. A wave of vertigo overcame him as he nearly tipped over it. 

"Back off, you little fag!"

Cody blinked, his pain being quelled by an icy fury. "Oh, you did _not_ just say that!" 

The man charged, but Cody's foot whipped up, his heavy Doc Marten hammering into the guard's jaw with a dull crack. Cody's flexibility and the kick itself may have been products of dance instead of martial arts, but driven by his indignant rage it was more than enough to send the much larger man tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. 

"Goddamn right-wing fascist," Cody muttered, gently picking up his scepter. The man groaned, rising. A sharp swing of the golden scepter against his temple sent him fully into unconsciousness.

Cody allowed the uncharacteristic rage to ebb away, as golden energy erupted from his scepter, transforming his chic outfit into his gleaming armor. With a flourish, he leapt over the rail. 

Phoebus had entered the fray. 

***

"Luke, Gamer, cover your eyes!"

Luke obeyed instinctively, and beyond the black walls of his lids he could sense a brilliant light. He heard several guards cry out in pain, and a rifle or two clatter to the floor. Wasting no time, he dropped his arm and fell upon the blinded guards like a wolf.

Whirling about, he became a cyclone of precise strikes and kicks, and within half a minute the guards were down. 

A flash of green caught Luke's eye, and he knelt to scoop up his ring. "It's time."

The ring slid into place, and immediately emerald energy rushed forth. It contorted and writhed, until a dragon's form emerged. It barreled through the bewildered guards and towards Thought Sniper, who was being pursued by some sort of floating suit of armor. 

Scalding energy blasts ricocheted off of the dragon, but its gnashing teeth shredded the robot with ease.

Grinning, the light of creativity flashing in his eye, Luke surrounded himself with an incandescent suit of emerald armor. It was an intricately clever blend of European, Chinese, and Japanese design. A staff appeared in his hands, and he leapt into battle, an emerald soldier of righteousness that downed soldiers like a farmer's scythe does stalks of wheat.

***

Thought Sniper fell back into the shadows, nearly overwhelmed by the whirlwind of thoughts surging around him. He stifled a cry of shock as a bullet pinged dangerously close to his skull. Whipping around he came face to face with the barrel of a rifle, a soldier staring down it at him. 

"Oh shi-"

Another shot rang the man's body bowed then fell out on the side with torn ragged flesh where there was once full leg.

"Huh?"

Gamer stepped forward, holding a one of the downed guards FA-MAS rifles one eye squinted shut and one arm dislocated. "Knew that lessie gun rpg was gonna teach me somethin'!"

A grin crossed Thought Sniper's face. He had felt… something give in Clique's mind when she touched him. He had figured it was a mental barrier of some sort, but perhaps it had been something more? Whatever the case her miraculous betrayal had just won them a fighting chance!

"Gamer, get down!" Thought Sniper's hands whipped forward, forming the shape of a firearm, and the psychic bullet ripped from his fingertips and struck the guard's torso. He cried out, his gun clattering to the ground and his convulsing form crumpling soon after.

"Cool, a beretta!  I love these guys this is way easier then ooh!" Gamer's spiel was interrupted by the waive of pain blurring his thoughts, "I think I need seem healing?"  Dwayne rushed to take him on his shoulder.  Not strong enough to carry he felt Gamer's readiness and knowledge pour faster then the current of pain and memories of abuse.  Thoughtsniper kneeled reaching for the handgun.

***  
  


Luke twirled his staff like a water wheel, bowling over soldiers right and left with ease. A fusillade of bullets bounced harmlessly off his armor.

"Luke! Up here!"

OSK's cry rang out, his drug-induced weakness obviously gone, or at least over-whelmed by his characteristic rage. 

Twin beams of light lanced from Luke's ring, hitting the glowing shackles that bound OSK. They vanished in a hail of sparks, and OSK ricocheted off an emerald platform, curling in midair into a ball. The armor was becoming less defined, as if un-inked and then a roaring fire plume.  Luke had to stop that crucial second to remove his ring.

A beam of concentrated crimson light struck Luke's stomach, flinging him backward. He hit the ground and skidded as his armor flickered from view. Luke rolled to his feet, slightly shaken but otherwise unharmed. His attacker was a seven-foot tall suit of armor, its wearer's lower face visible beneath the visor. Its arm was in the shape of a cannon, a wisp of smoke rising steadily up from the barrel.  Pocketing his ring Luke took leg forward stance his pant seat almost touching the ground he so limber as amplifying emerald energies sheathed him sparking with a threatening crackle for his flaunting.

Something interrupted the standoff.  A noise halfway between a battle cry and an animalistic roar echoed forth as OSK kicked out with both legs, striking the armored guard. The metal crumpled like aluminum beneath his sledgehammer blow, and the guard flew backward into several unarmored ones. 

Spinning around, OSK charged into battle. Luke rose, armed with twin Chinese broadswords this time, and sprinted alongside his teammate. He carefully kicked and struck the guards, his energy-enhanced techniques incapacitating them, but OSK bowled through them, fueled by an almost frightening rage. Guards flew left and right, tossed like rag dolls by OSK's considerable strength.

_Wow_, Luke thought, cleaving a rifle with one of his swords as OSK's snap-kick sent an armored guard careening into a console. _So don't want to piss this guy off…_

***  
  


A flurry of crimson bursts battered at Phoebus' force field, flickering and vanishing as they did. He swooped towards the two floating armored guards, willing his gleaming bubble forward to hammer them with its indestructible bulk. Propelled by a complex system of rockets and gravity defying devices, the two guards proved too difficult to hit. 

Suddenly one veered off, headed towards OSK and leaving his comrade to deal with Phoebus alone. 

"Decon look out!" Phoebus cried. Hoping his teammate heard his warning, Phoebus dropped his shield and darted forward, energy swirling around the edge of his scepter. Without his force field, his speed was much greater. The glowing edge smashed into the guard's armor with a blinding flash, shards of metal whipping in all directions. The guard's curses were easily audible through his wrecked armor, as he tumbled to the ground. 

Phoebus gazed after him, searching for a sign of emotion to signify that the guard was alive. "God, I hope he's o-"

"Phoebus!" Instinctively, Phoebus whipped around, to see a sphere the size of a basketball hurtling towards him. It was wreathed by electricity and dancing sparks. Phoebus wove to the side, avoiding the ball but not the sparks. As they danced along his body, the scepter-bearing hero felt his muscles stiffed and his nerves go numb.

A muffled cry was all his paralyzed jaw could manage as he plummeted to the ground, his landing softened, but not made painless, by his remaining control over the scepter.

OSK vaulted over to Phoebus as a second sphere descended. Grabbing the scepter, OSK swung the ancient artifact like a baseball bat. It connected with the sphere with a dull thud, sending the ball hurting back towards the guard who fired it. 

"Didn't you play baseball as a kid?" OSK asked, handing Phoebus his scepter before he morphed back into civilian attire. 

The numbness creeping from his limbs upon contact with the scepter, Phoebus managed to respond. "You're one to talk."

OSK smirked, before glancing around. "Where's Tangent? We should probably get to the bottom of this!"

***

Clique downed another two guards with a spray from her Uzi. She frowned as she felt a pang of remorse.

"What the hell?" the clap of her firearm ceased, as she gazed down at it. Suddenly something struck her from the side. The Uzi was ripped from her grasp and sent skidding across the ground.

Reacting upon years of instinct, Clique drove her elbow into her attacker's face. He stumbled back, clutching it and groaning in pain. It was Tangent himself.

"You little bitch!" he snarled, a crimson rivulet of blood travelling down from his lip.

"I'm sorry, you just had that done, didn't you?" Clique snapped. She wriggled out of her jacket as Tangent lunged.

She saw the silver flash of a switchblade and raised her arms in a cross block, catching Tangent's forearm. He forced her backward, using his greater strength and leverage, but Clique twisted, managing to use his momentum to flip him onto his back. Tangent rolled to his feet as Clique withdrew two nightsticks that had been strapped to her thighs. 

Tangent lunged, swinging his blade, and Clique danced backward, narrowly avoiding his smart slashes and countering them with kicks and strikes. He managed to land a savage punch, sending Clique sliding across the floor. 

She flipped to her feet and landed a sidekick to Tangent's stomach, followed by a vicious knee to his face. Whirling about, her long leg swung up and whipped him across the jaw. Finally, she spun again, thrusting her leg out into a back kick that sent Tangent careening into a computer console. 

Clique paused, watching Tangent stagger to his feet, blood streaming down his face. Her own face was throbbing with pain from the punch Tangent had slipped through. It had been nearly enough to take her out; Clique was used to quick, clean kills, not knock-down, drag-out fights with men larger and stronger than her. Plus Tangent was a much better fighter than she had given him credit for; his facelifts and Armani suits hid an obvious skill with boxing and knife-fighting. 

"Why don't we… settle this without weapons?" he muttered through swollen lips, sending his switchblade skittering across the floor.

Although her common senses screamed at her not to, Clique flung her nightsticks away and adopted a standard fighting stance. Some bizarre, unusual anger enveloped her, clouding her judgement. It was like a dam had broke inside her mind, allowing the emotions that she had kept at bay for so long to overwhelm her. 

A shrill battle cry erupted from her lips as she aimed a sidekick at Tangent's sternum. He sidestepped nimbly, catching her leg in his powerful arm.  And the other in a sideways fist reach to her thigh

"What the--?" 

"First rule of business, Clique," Tangent whispered in her ear. 

She could smell his sour breath, feeling its sickening heat against her cheek. Fright, another abnormality for the assassin, jumped into her throat as she saw an electric blue spark dance between her flesh and his hand. 

"Never throw away your advantages!" 

Pain spiked through Clique's body, but she refused to scream, even as he finished and flung her limp frame to the ground. Tangent smiled at his stun gun, pocketed it, and walked away. 

"Now to get out of here," he grimly accessed hitting a sequence of buttons on an unmalicious mini wireless.

 * He's ALIVE, that son of whore's goat is crawling around * 

_*  Yu! Stop it how could you he's barely a toddler. *_

_* A .45 and he's not freaking dead but I swear what was Tin cleaning out the floor! *_

_* Why is ji-san mad? *_

_* He's just just so surprised you made it.  We thought you were going to- *_

"DIE!" Decon screamed at the dark-skinned man in the freaky tattoos and ripped shoulder shirt and bandanna.  The touch.  To Kill. He had to…

"Guys, damnit, everyone who's okay!" Phoebus painfully asked concurrent to his self-healing by the deity rod.

"Pop tart's gone down for a bloke," the artfully ripped Clique announced hefting a near doppelganger of herself in the midst of the storm of melee and gunfire.  The other was she save the concussion, electrical leg burn, and bruised face.

"Always stay a-LERT!" Dwayne advised in a voice break shout he shot the knees and shoulders from an approaching pirate.  Gamer weighed on his back not comfortably arranged and pulling more than his simple ten and a third stone needed.

Phoebus was utterly strained.  He needed to be near something to heal it.  And the way the firepower was pouring on they wouldn't have much time.

Then the announcement wailed over unseen PA's, "Switch to flame throwers! And let this be noted.  The F protocol is in effect starting two minutes ago!"  It was scrambled by low quality but was certainly the secure Jerry Tangent's voice. Clique's stiffened as some of the fighting guards ceased and looked to the ceiling as if told it had just said it would fall on them.

"What's plan F?" OSK roared in frustration fists starting to bubble with unreleased blood as he pounded a wall just to shake different scaffolds.

Thoughtsniper seemed to seize then thrust his face to up to Luke, "It's scorched earth for them.  They're going to seal the place and in five-no ten - no- ugh, no one knows.  But soon and they bring in the water and sink the base."

Cody was aghast, "No, the expense, his own people!"

"Are lost to the freakin' Coast guard or worse if they are caught and besides after the more uh replaceable stuff sinks they can just …

"Replace it?" another Clique singsong enthused in a loose and practical version of the their standard as she was lifting the near unconscious boy from Dwayne's back.

Dwayne was now awed looking at her wondering aloud, "How?"

Phoebus worked having one of the felled armors pried.  Tearing it open with the rod throbbing accessorized as an auric crobar.  Cody was sweating profusely as he grunted , "No offense but we gotta ask can we trust you.  I mean all of you?"

Luke swatted here and there to the rapidly fleeing formerly fierce opposition, "We don't have time for background checks.  We must cash out now!"

"No," other Cliques objected in unison, "We can't!  There is only one evacuation point they don't take extras.  And we need all of our sisters here."

"Gees, two minutes and you already bringing over your girls like you own me," Decon retorted down over a railing at the many Cliques.  If not for the costant smell of broken men and machines, the threat of if not certain death than loss in the depths of the cold enormous ocean, too doped to teleport, and the thunderous lanes of guards stampeding for their lives this could be heaven for the numerous dark-hair and certainly well toned identical twi- no with now ten of them the whatimpzits?

Phoebus was too awash with his own feelings to read those of the girls clearly.  They were all different yet alike, sympathetic like they were closely raised children but something else.

"I, like, did a trick.  I can summon myself a little bit away in all three dimensions if I try hard.  North Fall always encouraged me to be adaptive, hee-hee," the loosely attired Clique gave as her delayed response to Thoughtsniper as she set Gamer down.  Phoebus couldn't see how she'd be a danger

The Clique just quickly reached in her uniform with one hand and appraise Gamer's damaged form with her other, "My they weren't gentle.  And goodness that caliber in his hands."  She commented as her mitt coiled a gripped firm but not dangerous about Gamer's upper arm and turned it about and wrenching it back into socket.  Just as the thick youngster opened his mouth she stuck a simple dowel in it.  He bit down to deal with the pain.  Her method was field perfect, though her bedside manner whimsy.

Dwayne's head bobbled and then he turned up, "She- they know field medicine.  Phoebus we're clear.  Take out the armors one's- AGH flamethrower!"

He pointed Phoebus followed on sheer instinct calling on a focus exercise from his past and another in the near present.  He found the target and used his scepter as a bat.  A sphere of golden light snapped from the end at the apex of the swing. It was as if it was a struck baseball, expanding to a curved plane that reflected the plume of fire back at the armored fighter.  A high feminine scream pierced the din of evacuation as it fled cussing the pointlessness of the fight.

The Brit Clique then stood, alone now, just as the pilot ran.  Then the cockney girl vaulted leg over head and kicked off a wall.  Missing not a beat she grasped a single hand to the rail of the low walkway, found her center in that continous instance of clarity and flipped over.  Clique A's legs splaid to ease her landing onto the firmness of the walkway before snapping together to stand rod straight.

The other Cliques performed similar feats of acrobats all a little different one with a ninja mask more more precise and sure, if that were possible, until they all converged to about one point.  Near the medic one.  And then the guys saw.

The secret of the mystery.

It was a simple instant that revealed the truth as it always had been.  The brit, the stone-faced, the mad, the stealthy, the sensuous, the bubblehead; they were many.  They are one.  One girl.  That treated Gamer's wounds.

Just as Luke chased away the last of the stragglers Phoebus sealed the doorways with his sphere's projecting powers.  Golden force-fields like unyielding saran at every visible entrance.  He had to touch ground now. So much power used at once.  Lifting himself was unnecessary and consuming.

OSK and Luke ran to join him as quick as they could run.  They propped him up.  Cody wanted to rest.  The emotional stress was so exhausting.  But he lay the bulb of the caduceus to OSK's shoulder and the drug was truly removed in minutes.

"God, my head, some- much clearer.  AGH, how long we got left?"

"Knowing this guy, it was too late by the announcement," Phoebus sounded hollow and drained his throat dry and heart beat wild, "Men like him don't announce a downsizing until -ugh- the heads have been frickin' plucked."

"You must rest," Luke offered as he internally hated himself for his consideration.  They were going to die and he couldn't risk the ring unless he was recovered and wouldn't risk getting that because it would mean risking distressing Cody.  The pre-emptive protectiveness an unspoken counter-active to the empath's peace.

"He's right,"  Thoughtsniper's voice sounded as his expression was far away, "Too, late to run."

"But there's an abort," Clique-Chantel said desperately, "I, I don't know the code but you guys found this place hacked a frickin' layout surely you can crack the code?"

OSK phfft, "From here? With what?"

"Wait, you were his guard?" Dwayne snapped to here and now.

"Yeah, I mean not always but," Clique stated as she salved, set, and bandaged as Phoebus sat breathing himself to something of a calm.

"Yeah his cell phone number?  Know it.  Okay YEAH, GREAT!" he spoked hurriedly as if anxious about great news.  He pulled out his own cell dialing frantically as he smiled saying to no one in particular, "Back off, I've got a cellphone and I am not afraid to use it."

***

Yo hoho ho ho

Tangent smiled at his personalized ring then lifted the phone to his ear to answer not checking the id, "Well, how are you.  Sorry I've been out of contact just had to make a personal asset rearranging and overhead closing.  Hmm, Gabe?  Sota?  Who the hell is this?"

"Just the nobodies who caught the emperor without his clothes?" the voice replied.  Tangent was piqued.  Something seemed just so * something * in the timbre, like he should know the voice.

"Darnel, make sure to contact Rashee and tell him to send my displeasure at my lease.  I hate it when they shoot at me.  Oh and where's my new Flex-Zer's tennis suit.  Court reserves in two ya know?  Yes, and make sure this phone number is still unlisted."

***

"Got it, it's.. uh.. rather uh" Thoughtsniper adjusted his hat and glasses at a loss.  Then Decon left Cody's side a hand outstretched above the others, "Wah, don't kill me!"

OSK phfft to Dwayne, "Clothes don't make ya hardcore," then more to than at his ally, "Look, have some confidence that killing touch only works on the weak.  Besides I gonna to ask ya.  Please, may I have your knowledge?"

TS's face slackens at the formality, "I I I uh, yeah," Decon's hands touch him.  He feels something transfer and his head swirls about.

"Got it now, too,"  OSK smirks then frowns with a realization.  He glares Dwayne in the eye as breathes are taken, steadied and then calmed.

"Kiss 'em or get to doing the shut down!" Gamer rasply interrupt vocal, at least, now.

"Yeah, well like that.  It's okay.  Things been worse.  Sides ya alright," Osk responds to something unspoken ignoring Gamer.  Then once again assuming the wight-like form wisping through air and structure seeking the operations center.

***

Pain, such ebbing pain.  So much more preferable to what it signaled.  He couldn't make it.  Not to the door with the bullet wound in his shoulder.  He would die here of shock or blood loss before he drowned.  Even before his life began flashing before him as he saw the whitish smoking reaper rise through the floor for him and into his body-

OSK had died.  MANY times.  He could always come back.  He'd been trained to his limits.  The vat of acid was a new one.  Ji-san had once used a kiln though.  The heat seemed to sear through his seven year old body like it wasn't there.  Then at times it seemed to have followed him through his respawn portal just under his skin or through the hollow of his bones.  He liked the fire there.  It was a kind of scar.  The only kind he could bare with his freakish regenerating body unable to hold signs of his work and stripes of his manhood.  And it gave him strength.  Strength to cleave through the drugs.  Strength to move this wounded form of the dying minion he now possessed.

He pushed up with both arms limping to the controls only for the crushed state of the calf bones.  And entered the code sequence perfectly.

The original resident of the body felt first horror and shock.  It was all Decon could do to keep his/their heart from popping.  But it was too late for this man.  The flooding had been stopped.  But he was realizing in complete horror the real reaper was sucking his soul away.

Decon didn't like to think about that peaceful sunless quiet land that refused him so many times.  Especially like this.

He left the man to die telling him only this.  He'd been a tool his whole life.  But now one for a right cause.

And he wondered could he self-appointed evil fighter could ever be truly good.

***

OSK returned on a higher walkway.  TS's eyes saying all he needed to know.  They knew he had succeeded.  Just as Clique and Phoebus now in unison tended to Gamer both his eyes open and his skin nearly cleared of roughness and damge.

"Right, just, about," Clique appraised then raised the kid up, "And oh yeah, one of us got ya belt for yahs." She slunge it over Gamer's front

Gamer then sat up as if by spring and dug his hand into his torn shirt.  He pulled it out holding his trump, "That's all we need then, drop the top and let's blow this dump!" Cody grinned so he was going to witness another secret revealed before his eyes.

The playing card lifted up in a perilous glow and turned up sideways into the wall.

"What is this.  What the hell!" Osk was flabbergasted.  He couldn't believe it.  It was now huge but still recognizable.  Plain as day.  A simple Bicycle card's ornate Ace of Spades.  That was the size of a few SUVs and soon turning over itself.  Slowly then accelerating into a drilling whirr as it shoved loudly into the side making a design perfect tunnel about 25 foot in diameter. The flurrying of rock, dust, and shrapnel at the sides made not a deterrent to the controller's team.

***

Cody needed only a slight shield to keep the dust off of him.  It was magically convenient the way the spade shaped the passage through the wall.  They could climb up and then walk through following at the point as it seemed the mass and form reformed to Gamer's expectations.  His focus at this point was amazing.  Experiencing virtually no emotion but extreme determination to be free it drove the card with something he couldn't quite sense, a likely more mental component

It was likely one smooth exit from here until daylight until.  Gamer seem to strain and push at the air.  Tears swelling and finally a he cries out, "It's not enough. DANG IT it slipped!?"

"That's bad right," Luke asked blandly.

"This is more an art than a science okay.  I mean.  I mean I prepared it as much as I could but man these things are so loose as it is.  And and I took only five minutes with it.  Its going out and uh man only a temporary effect, look behind us"

The darkeness befell them just before Luke and Cody lit themselves up.  Cody made an amber searchlight to overhead.  The spade was now more the size a clover leaf then a tornado funnel.

"Is it my imagination.  Or is it getting smaller," Clique asked

"Its spent," Gamer's voice was subtley panicked.

"The walls reappearing like it was always there!"  Osk yelled looking back.

Luke then pulled out his ring, "No time for fear," he oathed under his breath.  Slipping the artifact on he pulled back his arm as it pumped up with fierce powerful fire. The stone was refilling the space behind them..  The air pressure ringing his eardrums.  He focused his power to one point.  Then unleashed.

***

Outside a swirling column of green light danced with itself outside the side of a cliff of the mountain in the center of the island.  The newly formed band of six crawled out from the newly made opening as Luke removed and pocketed his ring again muttering, "Light to the darkness."

Osk was almost gentlemanly as he jumped the distance from the exit to the ground offering to catch Clique.  She accepted and got copped at the caboose for the trouble.  As OSK then recovered doubling over she and her sisters laid a rope helping the less daring of the crew repel down.

Cody floated himself and then rested, I should take up smoking so needing to calm and ease myself, he considered.

Dwayne just practiced his own calmed martial arts moves as Gamer sloppily re-embraced his belt.

Osk was the first to speak, "Ya know I could probably possess Tangent make him confess and then jump in a lake?"

TS shook his head, "The clan would live on.  You saw the gunners.  And this is more than a job to them it is … everything they got.  Family, history, community.  Everything.  Besides could it hold up in court a coerced confession?"

Clique seemed amused at this.  Then Osk smiled, "I think he'll give it in payment.  I just remembered something!

"What," asked Phoebus, not liking the perversely pleased and amused feeling Decon was rolling in.

"I forgot to use the the door override."

TS called, "Jerry, guess what.  You're stuck.  Only there was this enormous tower sized flare that I am sure is warrantingsome investigation.  And by whom?"  

***

The executive clan leader was fuming.  The kid's voice and tone had that note perfect affectation he'd styled for himself.  He couldn't get a bead on it.  Shaking he made clan hand signals to his men.  They responded in turn.

"So, what's the deal?" he said in a certain sigh of defeat

"Come, come, Jerry.  Don't get that way, I know they said they boarded and boobied the boat.  We don't need it to go back but would like it.  Let's be more open.

"Then tell me your name.  I lost an old timer in this biz cause you turned him.  He was the Andy Griffith of this clan.  Did you know that?  And I had to brain him with a bullet because what you did.  Have any idea how that screws with a young Mosk-En's rep!"

"Young," TS sneered, channeling Phoebus for a split second then refocussed, "You know from the computer logs.  Its Thoughtsniper.  And this is a phantom phone.  You'll get my last calling position and nothing else if you're the CIA following it,"  Dwayne couldn't help but chew this up.  Usually his power was one terrible social stumble after another.  Now, it was giving him all the advantage.  Maybe he'd found his true calling.

"Listen, you-"

"No you listen.  You are trapped.  Your very critical reputation with your clan and your stockholders is in certain jeopardy which increases to that closer to catastrophe for every minute you're trapped.  The clock is ticking for the coast guard, navy perhaps the pan-asian anti-pirate alliance or of course the JLA.  You're down to maybe a handful of those armors and a bunch of seventy-second stringers- us- cakewalked through them.  You aren't behind the desk.  You're at the edge of the table bent over.  So what you wanna take it from us, or an unknown!"

Jerry fumed inside, "What do you want!"  Dwayne told him.  Outlining in painful detail with insider-speak, "Unacceptable.  You guys have no idea the level of shit you just shoveled into the wind.  Do you have any conception how things are done!  I ain't into vendettas and frankly if its this mean a catch I let it go.  But releasing girls, returning squeaked up merchandise, no way you'll get no troubles.  I got that girl on lease and let me tell you it's a certain anyone with pride to the profession will be taking pots at her.  And that's not including the folks who want revenge.  I ain't guaranteeing your safety with my resources.

"Then you will not be making life difficult for mister Gamer or Diamant," Dwayne coldly replied.  He was reverted to type simply because of one reason.  Whatever Jerry's stream of worries and fears vocalized it was nothing compared to the amount going through the shark's head.

"Deal, fine, whatever.  Just tell him he owes one of my guys an ace!" Jerry growled back, regaining some bargaining straw.

"Fine whatever!"

"Decon, if you would please?" Dwayne shut off and pocketed his phone as Osk smiled leaning in and touching this recently befriended ringer at the forearm.

"Got it," the half-demon smirked, "back in a" he stopped as he ghosted through the wall then maybe ten minutes later returned, "slash!" he puntuacted as he then showed he held Gamer's belt.  The youngest of the group bugged out his eyes then was hastily searching his pockets.

"Hey what this, if found return to Robert Checo?  Checo, what kinda name is," Decon wondered looking at the inside of the belt

"MINE!" Gamer-Robert protested, "Now please freakin' give it and where's my ace card.  I was gonna get it laminated.  Or use it to make a tunnel through the bottom and sink the place.  Not sure."

"Damn, dog, well I guess you should expect some reprisal from Tangent's company?" Osk inquired tossing the boy his belt and Dwayne a non-static pad wrap bundle, "There's the drive you traded for."

"What reprisal I think I burned his only location in my town.  And he tortured me.  He comes talking about reprisal on my home turf he's just throwing shrimp down a trash compactor!" Gamer was furious if also rather casual as he played with the portable game console from his belt's holster..

Cody stood up refreshed enough, "Dwayne, what's up, what we do now?"

"We open the gates.  After all there are innoecent lives at stake.  Open all of them!"

And so scepter beaming forth through the air Cody went about using his empathy to sense the places of sheerest desperation for release and thus opened every door to the outside.  Even the flagrant pseudo-rock face to the bay they had just escaped from.  Smirking he waved then flew to his team at the side.

"Okay Decon, Dwayne, Luke, Robert, and uh Cl-" he began.

"Chantel, decent a civilian handle as any.  Besides Clique's more my work than my life, now!"

"Okay but don't get in the boat think you can tow it with us?" Dwayne asked still mentally shy of Phoebus in his charged up state.

"Be a bit outside my usual rep," Phoebus admitted, "And could wreck if not careful,"

Gamer finished tapping the buttons on his portable console and smirked, "Don't worry, I got us a ride."

***

Back at the Diamant residence in Cody's garden a whirling dome full of various lights and whistles, bells and circuitry sprung to life.  Then so did the ship it was installed within.  It had a signal.  And now was following wings in close just as it rose up up from altitudinal propulsion and charged then flared across the circuit board of the city.

***

"There it is. 4T, ya miss me boy!" Gamer rubbed affectionately to his console as the scifi craft, recently shooting in from overhead, lowered itself to the ground.  Dwayne's eyes lit up like Christmas.

"No way, I mean I knew from out Quake shake-ups but I mean looking now, here.  WHOAH!"

Gamer smiled and then the ladder extended down.  He climbed up to the opening cockpit and planted the handheld into the complex piloting control board before him.  It merged and linked.

Osk jumped up high as if vaulting, "SHOTGUN!"  Phoebus caught him in place with a quick use of the golden rod, "Hey hey hey.  I remember this thing being space for one."

"True," Gamer said, "But it's got some interesting sensors and you can just ducktaps yo'selfs to the wing!"

Phoebus grumbled, "Some thanks for your rescue!"

***

The craft was soon flying to the twilight horizon of the city with barely visible but sturdier than steel cables towing the craft behind it.  The yacht was held aloft and un-torn bow from stern by Phoebus and Luke's combined effort on the underside.  Thoughtsniper, Clique and Gamer's ship's droid had found all the boobies in a snap.  So it was a scenic ride to the shore.  Day slipping away as the moon already arisen ready to truly shine as its sibling sun turned to another side of the panoramic celestial dancefloor.  Osk broke out champagne bottles from the galley.

"Stupid lock, hope he don't charge me for it," he complained as he set two glasses one before the other and maitre'd-like poured a snifter of Corbelle.

Dwayne cleared his throat. And then another glass was set and filled for him.  Holding with delicacy and poise in one hand he smiled.

Clique had kept to just one of her for the trip staring at the skyline as if it something that had just spontaneously appeared not been around for many millions of her apparent lifetime.

"I propose the toast," she spoke with fluctuating feeling.

"With me by a fire," Osk slipped in leaning to her flawless cheek and nearly undone lips.  Even the salt effected hair not extinguishing her fineness.

"Dude, you wanna go overboard?" Dwayne piped in Clique's would be retort.  His hat now off he didn't think his face needed more concealing from them.

Decon's face became a briar patch of pity and disgust turned to the long haired teep, "Ah, when your's drop I'll call ya about that," then he resumed gazing at Chantel.

"My toast is.  To the dance.  Many partners, stags, and even some wild donkeys.  But always something to see with awe for the very first time."

Phoebus grunted from lotus position holding the caduceus between his hands sweat formed at his brow,  "I would really like a little celebratory libration too, ya know?"

Luke in mirror to his recent energy wielding partner and emotional coach only his hands instead with Buddhist prayer beads shook his head, "Focus on the forces.  And the form like a sheet that becomes skin.  A water that becomes a sheet to make out the form and to move and heft it.  Moving so swift across the twilight sky.  Cody, I mean it I can't risk my ring again and this is kinda heavy for me.  FOCUS!"

"But it's my galley!  I should have a drink with two guys after a guerilla assault on an ancient unknown pirate aerie.  I shouldn't be still working.  C'mon," he half-whined as he returned to the dual meditation with Luke.   Luke's skill was amazing but his raw muscle power with energy without the ring was not exactly the same as Phoebus._  For now_

***

One ship was landed in her dock-space as another in the parking lot.  The crew was achey and tired and Cody didn't want to use the scepter anymore.  It was still charged but he was not.  All he wanted was a bed, maybe with a tall lithe and firm blonde in it to congratulate and share the recent mission, but would settle for four fluffed and set down pillows and sponge sprung mattress comfort.

Gamer's ship began to dissolve into the night like a cloud of mosquitoes as he fell through the mass landing on his feet with a plopping grace.  The ship finally, as Bahamut had, removed itself from the world as Cody's limo flashed its lights.  Gamer was hesistant but Dwayne and Osk assured him of the safety.

The car ride was one of sullen and pregnant discomfort.  Chantel though enrapturing Decon had tried to kill near all of them.  Dwayne was hopeful but unsure and Gamer just plain sour.  Cody couldn't block out the intense if quiet moods in the car.  Though to Robert's credit he'd be tortured for several hours and had a reason to be displeased.  Osk despite it all was still pissed off about whatever it was that pissed him off.

                              And Clique herself.

That was something else.  When they had first met he had sensed something like intense schizophrenic depression.  Now informed he knew the truth.  She was an meta-assassin.  A weapon that moved from one moment to the other like a tool of killing.  But she was also a girl.  A lot of girls sealed under a lot of … a lot.  Cody closed his eyes and tried to sleep on the ride.  Rest taunted to embrace him, weight on his lids.  But alas they were home.

He guided them in as he mumbled sleeping arrangements kicked off his shoes in an uncharacteristic and sloppy fashion and slumped into an armchair that he loved so much now he'd propose to it in the morning.

The silence broke, "WHAT FREAKIN' TOOK SO LONG!" Gamer screamed.

Dwayne sighed and ignored him, "Look, uh Chantel, uh Clique. I uh…I don't know what I did.  I'm sorry.  But I didn't control you.  Really, I couldn't.  I barely can control myself."

Clique smirked and undid her hair as she precisely began to disrobe starting at her foot wear, "Really, now. Hmm look I don't wanna talk this in forum,"

"I think its important we do.  Clique they put something in your head.  I'm mainly receptive but I think my psychic bullet plus my black hole of thought suckage loosened it so you could break through.  I mean.  It was an accident.  I'm not sure-"

"If you can tell me more?" Clique's voice was so child like then firmed, "It's okay.  I, I just got my first taste of history today.  It que- uh threw my game off.  But I'll be back on the ball.  Soon.  I just.. I just need some time to be used to this uh thing-"

Gamer venomed, "FREEDOM! Oh yes, my what a horrific state.  Freedom.  Able to think and decide and figure.  My I can just see your T.a.t.u. collection.  How it sucks to be pretty, strong, and out forced assassination."

Cody groaned from his seat, "Robert, she's sorry.  Okay, leave it off.  And we're sorry too.  But next time, just maybe, stay still for once"

"Okay, dad, I guess you kno- oh wait rich swish white kid who thinks buying new outfits is imperative in hostage crises.  The thing stinks of off the rack.  In other words you'll never be a dad let alone mine because if anyone has a head on their shoulders you'll be spade and not let near kids for more than ten minutes."  He huffs and looks about tears forming, "Where's my room?"

Cody groaned again, "Rosario take him to a guest room... please!"

Osk looked to Clique and then touched almost platonically to her shoulder, "Look, Chanti-baby, listen.  I've been there.  The whole raised to kill thing.  And the not human thing.  Maybe we can help each other.  I just got one bare-ass apartment but look.  Really. I mean it.  I could help you adjust on the east coast.  Away from the nonsense for awhile, huh?"

Chantel's grin was wide as the moon she turn to Decon and nodded in a slightly accepting bow, "Thanks."

"Huh, well guess this is the end of my solo career," Cody smiled wakening just enough with lopsided grin, "I mean look at us.  All of us.  Just a single day and we're crashing at my house.  You're opening up yours and all genuine and true and stuff.  And you, Dwayne, you negotiate a way to save my and all our bacon.  We so pull together."

Luke was smiled at this and nodded, "We seemed to be a collection of adventurers and heroes driven to save the day or at least enjoy it together.  You're all good to hang with.  Even the Backstreet Boy,"

Cody winced in pain, "Gawds how out of it have you been?"

A musical laugh began and rose through the room.  Even another two voices joined.  One accented of the exotic the other more the country.

"Came to help with the jammies.  She seemed way to old to be doing it herself," Gamer was plainly caustic and moved, "And ya'll did like actually come get me when I'd likely be chum without."  He began to hand out linen and bedclothes.

"I have some women's things for you, dear girl," Rosario intoned her gnarled and wrinkled hand grasped at Clique's leading.

She was out of sight"Why, away they aren't going to attack," she didn't miss a beat as the * sshhu-mmph * of her leotard, "this no point in hiding."  Gamer and Osk gasped as she slipped back in with a comfortable nightgown with supple ease.  Rosario sighed genuinely worried.

"Uh. A sports bra," Gamer commented?

"Need the supported and firmness uptop.  So stop gawking.  And let's hit the sack."

Osk surprised them with an honest blush. As Luke looked to the adjacent wall.  His upbringing strict but not puritanical and the human body wasn't a thing of shame.  But still.  A toned super assassin with – he'd suddenly lamented a lack of brassiere study.

Cody just stared at the other guys then coughed, "She's right nothing we haven't-"

"You've seen a babe with no drawers!" Gamer was right in Cody's face flabbergasted, "You you you're always stealing em to be roomies and manicure buddies you-"

BOP

"Guys, to sleep!"  Cody announce sceptre in one hand as his cross expression undid itself.

"Arnn al'yur basis ur bewrong t'ush," Gamer gurgled as he overdramatically passed out.

Epilogue

By ssj4vacca edited by RT

*** One hour later at Cody's house. *****

Rosaria walked in the room with some flannel pj's in a basket wondering, "I hope these clothes fit well and are stylish enough for children."

Rosaria then sniffed, "And I see you guys need a shower as well." The group nodded simultaneously. 

*** One hour and thirty minutes later at the dinner table***

Our newly clothed and refreshed group walked into the smaller of Cody's dinning rooms. The table was filled with an abundance of foods and beverages. They then sat down one by one and proceeded to eat. The room was silent except for the sound of chewing, drinking, and the scrapping of eating utensils.

"Wow you have sesame chicken and fried rice," Deacon yelled, "Hey Luke, pass me those bowls of 'em." Luke nodded as he used his construct powers to pass the food next to deacon's plate. Deacon began rapidly devouring plate after plate of warm breast and fried rice.

"Good god, Deacon, slow down!" Cody exclaimed. Dwayne and Robert looked on in disgust while Chantel rolled her eyes.

"Wow you just ate 8 plates of food," Luke said as he looked on in awe, "Your scarfing faster than a fat man in a baby eating contest."

Dwayne chuckles a little. "Hey, hey I got a laugh! My job is done," Luke said as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. THWAM !!!!!!!! Luke fell back out of his chair. The room went from a few chuckles to a burst of laugher. Everyone was laughing. Including luke, who was rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat" Cody said as he yawned and stretched, "You're more than welcome to stay in the night in some of my guestrooms. They are right down the hall across from each other," he finished, pointing. Everyone sitting down then nodded in agreement. After that was said Cody left the table in pursuit of his bedroom. Then one by one our group left the table. Robert was the first to head toward his guest room, then Dwayne, Deacon, Luke and last Chantel. 

***Luke's room***  
Luke silently lay awake in a daze as he thought about the recent events occurring in his life. His door then slowly open and Cody's head poked in.

"Hey Luke you can't sleep either, huh?" Cody asked as he sat on the right side of Luke's bed.

"So what's up, Cody" Luke said with a puzzled look on his face.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," the superhero teen responded.

"Huh?" Luke started.

"Well since the moment I saw you, you seemed to be in a great deal of pain."

Lukes face darkened. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe tomorrow. I'm feeling a little tired," Luke stated. Cody nodded, sensing that Luke was getting uncomfortable.

"Tomorrow it is then," Cody said as he made his way to the door.

"Oh and don't feel bad about confiding in friends for help or support," Cody said as he closed the door behind him. Luke rolled over in his bed and pulled the sheet up as he curled in a fetal position. He then slowly began to dose off.

***Robert's room***  
  


Man this guy is rich. One of his guestrooms is twice the size of my bedroom, Robert thought to himself as he stared at the ceiling. Robert then started to spin a card between his fingers. 

"Things have been really crazy lately," Gamer said to himself as he chuckled alittle, "I met up with a sinbad reject, a fitness instructer with a bad temper, a human time bomb, and a chick with the worst case of PMS I've ever seen."

Robert smiled as he couldn't help but wonder what the future might hold for him now that things has changed. Robert then yawn as his eyes became heavier and heavier. The then began twirling the card slower and slower until it dropped on the bed beside his hand.

***Deacons room***  
  


I'm glad I stole this from that tang, Deacon thought as he tried on the disk control glove for the first time, I'm surprised I was able to hide these things this long, Deacon reflected as he picked up the disk.

"Oooo three blade settings. This one is nicer than most that I have seen and used," He then heard a soft knock on the door. Deacon quickly took off the glove and shoved both items under the bed. Come in he said as he folded his hands behind hid head as he laid down. The door slowly opened. It was Chantel. But she had a distraught look on her face. It was so wrenched the instant Deacon saw the look he went from guy-thinking-that-he-was-going-to-get-some to a sympathizing fellow being.

"What the matter, baby?" Deacon asked softly.

"You mind if I sleep here tonight. I....I just feel like..I don't like being alone," Clique responded quavering. Deacon nodded silently. Chantel then slowly climbed under the covers and laid her head next to deacon's as he embraced her. They then drifted off into sleep.


	5. Issue 5 by RT

The New Young Justice

Issue 5

by manticoraus/RT

Cody Diamant really needed a break. He knew, somewhere, in his heart of hearts all those who would be effected and effected deeply by his truancy. No, it wouldn't be truant at all. Everyone should take a break, and lately the books were killing him. He knew he should study more for his trip but he couldn't. His French was as fresh as it was going to be without direct practice and really he could have one of the staff at least accompany him to help explain the particulars of the structure and grounds.

The recent renovations on his ancestral inheritance had rolled to a close. That meant his dad would have him take a trip to finish construction and stop any stragglers and squeezers. It was something of a test. Beside there had been reports pertaining to other issues that had Cody suspicious about something.

Yawning aloud the young man checked his clock. It informed him the hour was in double digits now. Three hours was a long time but he wasn't tired enough to sleep. Also he really wanted to hook up with his friends from the Tangent Affair.

It had been subtle. A few days became a week. Cody went into his regular groove trying to shake the feeling of fat criminal fingers and rank sour breath and the prideful patronizing voice. One week made it to two. He first checked up on the Decon a lot at first to make sure he behaved taking care of Chantel. The girl who self-multiplied seemed to be getting herself together in most common ways but a job. That was four weeks after. Thoughsniper was gone as simply as he had come. Gamer was on the east coast, and didn't leave his number… and Cody didn't really like him.

And now one month and a half later he didn't want to lose these friends. Besides what could they be doing.

0-0-0

"Did you have to bust his lips like that AFTER you slashed his cheek?" Decon asked embarrassed and angry.

Chantel's face was almost emotion-less as when they had first met but for the tell-tale curls at the end of her mouth and softening of cheeks. Her eyes slid to Decon just as she walked further ahead on the dilapidated sidewalk.

"I don't need to suffer vainglorious dispatchers who think they are emperors."

"He just asked if you had the skill to run with my kind of crowd!" Decon was more instructive than explanatory.

Chantel stopped, her back to him and then turned her head gracefully but almost supernaturally about as if on a pivot "Are you being my tutor or my new master then? If you are, then I think you'll need to improve your watchfulness for your precious-"

"Now, don't go there, girl! Geez, I'm just telling you how a solo professional acts I am not trying to control you like those freaks did and- hey what about my" he then turned to look towards where Clique had been, expecting, once again too late, another of her clo-no, sisters – there to practice smacking him up. Only instead he got an eyeful of ratty, smelly faded trenchcoat. And two really thick glasses under a stylishly oblong brim.

"Dw.. Thoughtsniper!" Decon was shocked, "Two months. Not even there the morning after- Usually that my thing but as you see, I got m'self tied to," Decon's lean was cut off by a twisting of his fingers in his trainee-partner's vise like grip.

"I came to because Cody is coming here to see you."

"Huh, but I though you only read minds, not saw the future. And how'd you see THAT I mean he hasn't been 'round for weeks. I think his goldenrod's keeping him tied near the post."

"Oh? Uh, lot I could do without that visual. Cody's usually imaginative enough on his own. And really Decon I think you should loosen up the bonds. Chantel may not-"

In an instant a twin of the girl in question with the cloth mask strangleheld the powerful mind-reader a slim dagger's reverse side biting to break the skin.

"You'll strain to keep the conversation focused on what brought you here and involuntary with personal information," her voice the same only more quiet. Less force more sharpness. Even her sisters had become more distinct and varied in the last few week's. This one was a ninja in silence and speed down to marrow of her bones.

Only she was really like Clique with a lethal sense of humor.

Dwayne was aghast, "Hey hey, cheating you just summoned her out!" he accused Chantel. She shrugged and with a pumping of her feet turned her body and folded arms to him.

"Well, anything on the Four Falls? You've been able to work that disk drive for weeks now?" she was to the point. Decon knew what that meant and Dwayne could tell too but unlike Cody the two men weren't as inclined to empathise and attend to feelings with someone as first response

"Just the basics. They are "the" leader of assasins, directing the course of world governments in the shadows, all other groups are intermediaries, and the usual self-aggrandizing bull. Tangent knew the contact by word of mouth and he knew to keep the records that way. Aside from your contract there is nothing. Not even the contact who sold you. No name, no picture, no location. He's got a friend at the phone company his LUD's show no direct overseas calls. So either they had a domestic contact or-"

Clique held up her hand with two razors one between the fore, middle, and ring-fingers, they were already copper-stained, "I'm into cosmetic desconstruction as of late you know!"

"THAT is No, Nothing new. I'm sorry but they are hidden pretty well. I mean I don't have contacts I tag info-lines. And until we branch out and network like Tangent did I think all we'll hear is rumors."

"I know. I mean I should know. I did know I just…I don't know" Chantel's sister left Dwayne and went to comfort her primary sibling. Decon slipped his hand from her grip with a tiny show of litheness and strength. Practicing with the finger's mobility he decided to sit on the edge of the street. Dwayne joined him.

"I know you know she gets like this every so often. Its gotten better. I mean not all the time and not all that big just- Well it's unsafe for combat. And she hasn't done that yet but I mean I guess I shouldn't doubt her. She overcompensated with uh the local stoolie."

"Which is something else I know. After a hacked a ticket I just reached out for the most ornery nasty psychic vibe I could sense. And then I worked my way to you. Saw your display in the club. Really you both need to manage the tempers more."

"Hey it is under control. Anyway, as long as the crooks in suits need a lift they'll be someone shuffling powder through DC. Though at least the confusion has them limiting themselves and sending more than a studying unit. Not to mention Supes is nearby in Hell's Heart. They're being driven out towards my area but still minding themselves. Big Blue could annihilate them"

"Or you, whoah, you must be the only guy I met who's. uh.. uh " Dwayne wanted to avoid the word 'afraid.'

"Respectful? Look, being a possible last of my race with superstrength kinda guy who's conquered the grave a few times himself, I can respect a guy who can corral armadas of daxamites and reverse tornados. I mean, really he gives a shi…oh!"

A bright yellow glare filled the daytime sky. Almost bird like then as it lowered seemed more of a closed top flaming chariot if not fully detailed as such. The top peeled back to reveal the smiling visage of Cody Diamant without his Phoebus get up.

"Get on in boys and girls I have the yearn to burn some cash with my pals."

"Pals aren't," Decon began to protest at being ordered and then both Chantels hit him with their full weight double-teamed at the back of his neck. The hit would would have dislodged the vertebrae from the collarbone on a lesser man. Decon only had his head hit crack the street and gain a nice sized knot.

"Shut up," her voice was stereo and then, by itself, "OSK, I need a new wardrobe and Dwayne already told you he was coming. Don't act like we're too busy."

Decon winced as Dwayne peeled off the fedora and adjusted his spectacles. He stepped away with a wary gait and wry grin. The former assassins were almost a married couple, without the warmth. Stepping into the fiery bright chariot Phoebus had made he kept his hands from the sides unsure if it would cut or burn. Chantel, in a jacket and thrift store pants over her usual bodysuit strode on. Decon's arm seemed to move as made of lead. He waved them away.

"He knows where your place is, and can be there before us. And we need to carry Robert," Dwayne interpreted.

Cody nodded and then shrugged, "Uh, why, if we keep it between us-

"I, uh, told him we were coming," TS explained suddenly feeling a soft soft coldness lay on his chest, "Uh, ya see I mean. Well, uh. You shouldn't use instant messenger so much. I mean. I could, uh, tell you look can't we just get him. Really I think he misses us, some."

0-0-0

"When I see them, I'm going to shoot them," Gamer was infuriated to tears kicking his heel to the side of the steps he sat on with his legs swung over. He'd cut school, something he could end up in A LOT of trouble for, waiting for Cody. Only he hadn't factored in the time difference between California and Serille. When he got home a whuppin' and likely four weeks without anything that looked like it used electricity would be his punishment. And it was hot and he couldn't leave or he'd miss his flight. TS's email had at the time seem pretty definite now he just wondered if the cheater had set him up.

"Robert, uh," the voice of the stairs' owner was softer than usual, "Look, I hate to be a traitor, but its close to seven. You've been here twelve hours and…"

Even Kevin was pissed, Gamer thought, well not pissed, upset. The elder hobbyist talked soft when he was trying desperately to wheedle Gamer to do something the portly man really wished he didn't want to talk about. Every moment Gamer sat outside for his friends to pick him up would be one where a lawmen, teacher, or even a nosey parent could spot the boy on Kevin's backyard stoop. This would make Kevin an accomplice to the crime of youthful delinquency. Plus people thought he was odd enough. And he really wanted to enjoy his privacy or his friend's company not be deprived of both. He'd constantly checked to see if Robert was there or gone, if someone was coming, and… he really wanted to see this Phoebus up close.

An old but still good digital camcorder was set up and ready. He'd be up there if he could land this footage. Phoebus was a model amongst the athletes- certainly not ineffective just not on the level of say Green Arrow or Blue Beetle or even The Ray. He was more photo-op than phenom but certainly a celebrity and someone the magazines and news ate up for his looks, poise, and presentation. Here was a person who acted like he could handle a camera. Phoebus was more of a "normal" star than the paragons and weirdos of the 1st class of superheroes.

Also the way Robert told it he might actually be at the ground level of a whole bunch of premieres. They were not exactly unique metas one strongman with a temper, two pseudo-lanterns one yellow one green, another ninja chick (but at least one that self multiplied though that part seemed a little hard to wrap his head around), and a hacker with limited energy powers. Hard to see what kind of crew this would make. But it seemed Gamer was the only non-martial artist in the entire group and Phoebus was rich.

Kevin grimaced and little put out that Gamer had just showed up on his doorstep with a comforter, a portable PSOne still with the plastic smell (he'd have to remind him about the stolen property statutes), and a knapsack at seven in the morning and also refused to divulge the full identities of his associates. One team up and suddenly it was "us superheroes can't just share names without permission."

He'd been so busy chewing that bitter pill he nearly missed it. Really in ways Gamer was making him lose his edge. Stuff happened so often around him Kevin just didn't leap onto things like he would before moving to Serille. Now it was "another of his toys left out" or "I'll ask about that when he gets done with his homework." He'd missed a Haven probe thanks to that apathy.

Now he'd almost missed a streak of gold near sundown. It lowered itself the afternoon glare making it really hurt to focus on. The picture would be terrible. He should have expected this and got a shadowcap for the lens. He'd have to hope he could process it on his computer and focus. The top opened, it was almost like a spaceship. A young socialite, the girl (why did they usually have one), and then some dude in a trench that screamed pseudo-lectual highschooler. Gamer bound up and then sent out his foot.

This was going to be good footage, all those super reflexive martial artists and a guy with a scepter (he'd have to reference the markings later) that projected energies that responded to thought and they could still be dropped by an ornery freshman. That was a **nasty** shin kick. Phoebus, he could tell since he held the cadeucus, doubled over taking it. Kevin wondered where the punk and the asian kid were then lifted his eyes from his recorder. It looked like Robert was going to clip the boy's head off with everything that was in his backpack. The packrat rarely completely unpacked and often stuffed any random thing he wanted into it. Kev doubted a painwracked Phoebus could recover from a caved in skull. Then in a shifting moment another of the girl was there and held the boy just right, before he fell. A sleeping touch. Whoah this was good stuff.

The chariot-like thing waited on the lawn abit more before finally its pilot could stand up and lifted them to the sky and turned west and shot for the horizon.

Eh, it was kinda good. But now Kev had to edit the footage for clarity.

0-0-0

Luke was in his fourth hour of kata-meditation. He'd gone from the honored and care-taken but still spartan upbringing of Dragonlord Descendant to the pampered guest of a near hedonistic host. He felt he should re-dedicate himself even fuller than ever to his studies. Only how? He was now without instructors, community

Family.

He raised his knee and then extended his foot out in a sidekick. After sweeping through the air in a semi circle he replanted it. It had been three days since he had run into Cody again in the opulent estate. The boy had been stressed by the adventure against the Tangent clan and, as he now understood, was managing a minor business project set by his father.

That had perhaps been the other reason for his sudden interest in refocusing to his training. He should have been receiving trials, questions, and tests from his father and the elder of the temple. Last week would have been the old aunt's birthday. And now. . .

Luke really wanted something to do. A purpose, a project, a mission. Sure he should find darkness and eliminate it with his light but what exactly did that mean. Rosa was likely cared for but still underprivileged due to a materialist system that encouraged gain at any cost with profit and prestige, something his host and he himself, due to his host's generosity, benefited from. He had long been taught there was a balance, and no easy battle. But now at sixteen faced with not only fighting it, but planning, plotting and having sole care of it made Luke wish he hadn't answered the singing call in his blood and the pleading light of the ring.

Maybe, he thought to himself, I first need to free myself of the chains of the past. I… I haven't yet lit a single candle for my family. It's been over a month. I must accept the inevitable but but

He really wished he had something to do and someone to do it for.

Gamer doesn't know OSK's origins and has told Kev about his phasing ability. Dittto Thoughtsniper he only knows him because they netgamed. As apparent Gamer thinks TS cheats due to his incredible talent at strategy and response and tracking.

"Hehe, mandy you shouldn't have. All the way, really. Mmm gotta give you something nice oooooh," Gamer's lips curled as he mumbled eyes closed resting on the floor of the chariot.

"You don't really sleep when I hit those nerve points. I just make it so you're unconscious," Clique's voice was ground with displeasure..

"For most people," Gamer opened his eyes and then sat up, "Hey, I feel okay- whoah it's like outta television. No buzzing headache and I can remember the states in alphabetical order; Allllll-ah-bama, Alaska and"- Clique began to tune him out with great effort.

The chariot had a warm and breathable atmosphere it even felt comfortable to stand and move your arms in, but was moving rather slowly.

"Too much weight," Cody complained responding to their spiking impatience, "And the construct makes it so that this moves really slow, it could be hours before we hit California."

Dwayne sighed and looked out to the side, though the shell obscured any view. He felt the thrill of just having the control and flash to … no that was Phoe-Cody. What he felt… was the confused alertness of all of the many himselves as his bethre- NO that was Chantel. Gamer… Gamer was just like him though. Bored, frustrated and unsure what to do from here. And uncomfortable being so close to the freakin' butt-lov ARGH

Dwayne scrunched his face in disgust and stepped as far from the group as he could. Cody frowned hurt and confused at why Dwayne felt what he did. Maybe he wanted to see/feel outside of the domed 'chariot.' The young industrialist tried to adjust the shielding enough to let psychic energies through.

Dwayne's face soften, then slackened, "Phoebus," Cody felt the certainty and pride swell indicating, "PLAN. Jetstreams. Use them. Listen, a few degrees starboard. Several yards up and catch a wave."

Cody smiled. He was good.

- - -

OSK had materialized four feet over (what was now) the pile of shards and powder he now frantically tried to figure how to explain or fix. His frantic stomping about had summoned Luke to him who was doing some freako Zen thing over the shards and legs where was once a four hundred dollar piece of crystal furniture.

They hadn't so much as said hello. Luke was pile gazing and OSK was flapping his arms yelling.

"C'mon superglue? No, no, no, DAMN I shouldn't have done that when I was still achey, of course I missed. GAH!"

He couldn't believe how useless being half demon could be for fixing something. He couldn't reassemble the pieces and make them stick, IF he could sort them. He was a thrashing machine not some craftsmen. Not that that would make any difference at this point. The thing was in a million pieces and powdered. Decon had to remember not to stomp or hit anything in his frustration. There was no telling what else he'd end up breaking.

"Well don't do it in the future. Still this was a wonderful opportunity to practice expanding my powers with my mind. I think it's not a bad result," Luke interjected calmly. Decon glanced.

Okay the monk-boy was REALLY freaking him out now. The table was … was reconstructing. Pieces raised and reassembled and stuck in place. The lightest lines of green about the edges as Luke touches his hand to the middle of the cut glass. The way it was reassembling and how it did so was… was like a pattern rediscovering itself. Almost like notes of music rearranging to make a lost song. Like-

"Whoah, whoah, what the HECK are you. You do this before?" Decon asked leaning and peering.

"No. I have practiced using my powers to assemble puzzles, toys, and armor. It was training. Learning how to look at something and to put it together find its pattern, and form and, dang it"

The glass was refitting but not properly. The Table was the right shape and size but of the wrong appearance. Simply put, design in the glass that marked near the edges had been in the glass itself. But some pieces could fit in more than one place. So

"My, LORD what happened to my table!" Cody's shout broke Luke's meditation and without setting it at a molecular level the glass shards fell again.

Decon fumbled his hands together behind the back of his head as a dark cold sensation ran up the middle of his chest.

"You!" Decon cursed Cody's empathic ability for what felt like the first time, "Decon, You did this? Why? How? I I don't believe!"

"No, please," Luke interjected, "He's just solved a problem of mine. I've been slacking in my mental training. This seems something like a puzzle worthy for the Dragon Lord's Descendant. With this project I could refine all sorts of different techniques with my power.

"Hold on," Gamer seemed to shoot across the floor his brow just beneath Luke's chin as they both stood inches apart, "You can do that weird green thing without your ring?"

"I did it before, on the boat to here," Luke reminded the attention deficient child. Cody suddenly seemed to fight back tears.

"Well, oh yeah. You did, you did. And in the battle too. So You aren't really a Green Lantern?"

"Ah, uh," Luke flubbed, not sure how to answer that.

"He doesn't know," Dwayne interjected, "He thinks there's a connection but his order, his family raised him isolated and on legends. He doesn't belie-

"How dare you question my faithfulness and devotion-" Luke snapped like he'd been slapped.

"I was just saying-" Dwayne began uncomfortably trying to raise an index finger out.

Kuh-thump.

Luke had instantly remembered peripherally seeing what Dwayne's fingers could do if pointed. Already emotionally agitated, Luke had crossed the distance and high-kicked Thoughtsniper in the chest before the slighter teen really reacted. Luke shook with his emotion and then felt like his bones would vibrate the flesh off of him while his veins ran with vile disdain. He felt the tears hit his hand before the pricking about his eyes.

Cody, ever the counselor, helped Luke to the couch. Gamer just looked on arms folded eyes wide, blinking only by requirement. OSK's upper teeth showed as an interrupted open mouth stare. Chantel seemed to be pensive but with eyes that also felt the need to cry. She joined Luke at his other side, though kept her arms folded at her mid-section.

Gamer gave a loud sigh then stepped to Dwayne. Leaning Robert tapped him about his back with his index and middle fingers, then his whole hand. Unresponsively crouched over, Dwayne seemed renderred mute. Gamer decided to heft him to take him towards the kitchen. Wherever that was.

OSK decided to help the teep. Luke had enough company and Gamer was dragging his patient across the carpet. Hefting him on the shoulder the half-demon followed silent behind the younger man.

"I feel awful," Luke winced, "I mean I guess you don't-"

Cody sat close and leaned down making sure to seem simple and concerned he nodded, "You do need to say it-"

"No kidding," Clique interrupted, "Have you forgotten? You don't use force like that so undisciplined. Sheesh, he was just telling you the truth. Hmmph, I don't know how you were raised but I didn't get to rip up someone who gave me news I didn't want to hear."

"I know I .. I just. I feel so alone," Luke bowed his head to his knees, "And guilty. I I think I killed."

"It was a battle and you did everything to," Clique was especially quick to reason.

Luke's face turned up to Chantel, "No, I mean. I- I think I killed someone before. Before the island because I couldn't control the, the fire inside me. I hate this. I killed them. All because because of nothing and now. I am not sure if I can do this."

"Hey," Cody sounded more soft toned but wasn't disagreeing with Chantel, "you still had courage to try it. To save another's life. Okay, you have a power, a power that can get out of hand. But the same is true for a rig driver. Thing is it seems like what happened was an accident!"

"I've had the power since I was born. But but the. The THING made it erupt in me. I feel it. All the time. Its amazing, everything I've dream of. But I don't know if I can do it knowing how I got it. I feel as if I've corrupted it. And and… that maybe what was told to me of it wasn't the full truth."

"Forget your past issues. Look," Chantel made a particularly dismissive arm motion, "I'm not talking about some thing that happened a million miles away months ago. I'm speaking right now. You hurt a teammate rather than listen to him. If your past is making you do that. I say let go of it. NOW, because if we're going to be together-"

"I don't think I can be ar-" Luke began dreading the words.

"Because SINCE we are together," Cody amended to Chantel, "It's everyone's best interest to approach this with hearts not plagued. Maybe you need to cleanse the briars in yourself. And Luke, I think you know how."

"Chantel, uh, Cody. Thank you. I need to uh find uh Dwayne." Pushing up from the firm sofa cushions Luke was to his feet. He walked to the hallway then turned back, "Uh by the way where did they go."

"I'll find them," Phoebus said getting up twirling his caduceus before reducing it to pocket size and concealing it.

- - -

"Okay, where's the kitchen?" Robert asked making sure to leave a trail to follow back with things from his bag.

"A compass is not one of my powers," OSK deadpanned, then bobbed his head about in a circle voice livelier, "Buuut, hmm no good this is apparently a custom design. I can't even feel out the architecture. I mean with servants they could keep the actual functional kitchen some distance from the lounges."

"Okay okay uh, and darn. Maybe we shoulda stayed with Phoebus. WAIT"

"What?" OSK asked.

"That… That smell. Ah yes of course, follow my nose," Gamer ended in a semi-decent imitation of the famous spokesbird.

Pulling along Dwayne they made it to the kitchen. OSK noted like many it had no carpet and, of course it was frequently cleaned with tile favoring detergent. A scented one in fact.

"You're pretty smart," Decon said as soon as he realized. He himself had smelled it to but hadn't, even with his training, thought in the way to use it.

"Thanks for noticing. Now meat or ice?" Robert was noncommittal in his voice. Leaning in he had already opened the double metal doors to the freezer section of the expensive restaurant grade unit. OSK raised an eyebrow. This child was definitely something. Then his training took over someone approached closeby.

A whistling preceded the entrance of Cody Diamant, "Actually uh, sometimes after a match I use some thearupetic uh salves and pads that-"

"Hold on, you compete," OSK asked then winced at how that could be taken, "I mean"

"No need to explain. I understand. I do not compete in tournaments. My instructor and I spar as part of my physical education. And.. I" Cody was momentarily interrupted by the emotional response of Gamer to the last sentence, "I can end up pushing him a little much so he lets go a bit more and uh we get too rough. Even if I like it that way," he just couldn't help aggravating the boy though, "Anyway even I get hit sometimes with my rod so I make sure to keep some lotions, salves, and theraputetic aids

"Yes, the life threatening tennis elbow has plagued many the bottle bred for years. Perhaps the oil of aleve will truly find the inner chakra noin and alleviate stress," Gamer verbally interrupted now.

Cody sighed and casually retorted, "So finished using my facilities? I'd really suggest you forego the sweets. You're drooping over the side of your pants as is!"

"Only to aid your guest mister I-have-a-healing-staff-but-lets-work-it-out-with-the-fly-handle-psycho and no I don't wanna put snails on the cookie dough ice cream that you don't have!"

"Yes," Cody was plainly frustrated and facing Robert with full annoyance, "Well the Trailer Daily aside not all the Chinese singularly plan the invasion and destruction of the baby-slayers country- I mean Gods. I MEAN that Dwayne was obviously not truly in need of immediate administration. Luke was."

"Ugh, I'll be out the window now," Robert sneered.

Hopefully, thought Cody in a weak moment, head first to the pavement.

He soon regretted it. Gamer literally kicked up a blind pulled the window open and jumped over the ledge. Feet first and on the first floor. But still it was strange to see him be so literal and matter of fact.

OSK just watched with a placid face, "He's just wired off, man! Look I think he's okay but still if you could.. uh do your thing."

Cody nodded and a few minutes later after Dwayne was conscious explaining the situation.

"We drifted, it's easy to do even nowadays. The key here is to focus on the now. Do something to clear our heads and bring us together we-"

"No need to build to this being about a shopping trip" Dwayne interrupted then pointed to Decon who's eyes began to widen, "Even he can tell that!"

- - -

And that was how they decided to go the Alley. A three story partially underground mall. That was easily out of all but two of the team members' price range. It was posh and well crafted filled with a designer food court and pedestrian conveyance system of elevators, stairs, moving sidewalks, and escalators.

"Nice to just slum with the odd common man isn't it," Cody said as they were pulled to the curb with such sheer sincerity Gamer's feelings to the young man nearly plummeted from general biased dislike to a specific exasperated disgust. The ride in the SUV by chauffeur had been enough. Cody apparently was still getting his driver's license or found the exercise of turning the wheel and obeying traffic regulation too forestalling to calculating the allowance in his checking account.

Chantel herself felt unsure. She'd been more fancy places, but now, on her own she was feeling particularly shown up and spoiled. She'd probably not be allowed in anywhere. Even with a sports jacket over her combat uniform she felt out of place. Decon just kept his sturdy aura of power and confidence as mentally he wailed ticking off his meal budget. He could starve, the one benefit to being an immortal teen with bills and a dependent, but even he didn't know for how long just to buy Chantel a pair of shoes. And he knew women needed more than one.

Luke was a kid in a candy store, even if it was epicurean. The stuff was just so so so, excessive. All these foods for no exact nutritional value and he had once horded Snickers back in the temple like they were bars of gold. He had to ask how much they went for. Raising a finger he flagged a man in a white uniform with a fully cloth narrow oval headpiece.

Dwayne was silent and glowering through the trip. He'd known exactly where they would go and what was waiting. So getting there had been an extreme delay of an accomplished trip for him. He knew despite the anticipations of the group what was waiting, their very likely reactions; or at least situations, and now that he was here he felt like avoiding the candy shop. Things were about to get really ugly as the high class server tried to explain kudos bars would be considered shaming and how currency worked in civilized suburban America.

Dwayne was edging to the arcade of the mall with the mens' apparel, particularly in the mood for the leather shop, a new satchel since his old one was scruff. The janitors at the office really needed to-

It was happening again. Thoughtsniper had to focus. The mall was making it especially difficult. So many vain, varied thoughts, noises, even for the relatively subdued time of year and style of shopping center. He leaned against the side of a kiosk and massaged his temples summoning his skills and focusing techniques. First to expand the breadth of his mental reception out as far as he could like wings, hands, a ripple in a pool. There, the simple image would now reverse and concentrate bringing full awareness of the area in a flash and then total cognition of HE HIMSELF from ALL ELSE.

And then he heard it. All of it. No, not heard. Saw. In the minds of them. Not all. Those few who were separated yet joined in one thing. The plan to-

Dwayne panicked and then reacted, only he was reacting with the mindset of the near hundred civilians he'd just taken a mental flash photo of and played in his own brain in a sharp eruptive skip. He ran for the security desk.

"Mister Diamant! This is a surprise. It is WONDERFUL to see you. Normally you just use the preferred customer channels and now-"

"Gawd, he's gayer then you are! Please just give me the cash and point me to the eletronics before the damned sprinkler go off!"

The smooth skinned fashionably mousse-haired forty year old man in navy blue suit was taken back by the shorter companion's rudeness. He'd look no more than a child to him and it seemed he sounded like little man. With no sense of tact, a regular "thug" as they liked to pretend to be. And from the country, likely east coast, even.

"Mr. Erixon, I apologise for my," Cody held the last vowel really not wanting or knowing the word to say next, "guest's," the emphasis and pause on the last didn't seem to even register with Gamer while Decon reassessed his appraisal of the boy's mental abilities, "rudeness. He will be waiting outside the store. IN sight. And with no money"

"Ehw, WROOONG. If you really want me not to get kicked out of the mall than you need to give me money. They want paying customers here and. . . Erix here"

"Mr. Erixon," the man corrected.

"Oh right, what's your first name," Gamer asked still oblivious to the issue raising his toes to peer at breastpocket of the suitcoat the proprietor wore, "Sheesh, charge a hundred for a sole jacket and can't afford nametags, maybe iF ah ah hold on," Gamer inexplicably began to raise the man's coat sleeve. Cody was stunned in shock. Decon was immediate and helpful.

"Hey," Robert began to kick fiercely wishing to hit that "pa-raffee-all" nerve at the knees with his heel as OSK held him up, "put me down, I gotta blow my nose!"

"I figure use your on sleeve!" Decon bellowed holding tighter

"Oh come on, they hate when you do that? Right, Gay Eri?" Gamer looked to the man with but a wicked slyness and genuine self-satisfaction for his assumption.

Cody immediately put a hand to the older salesman's shoulder and began his unique style of pacification. OSK dumped Robert on a bench and leaned in using his best enforcer persona. Letting all the menace and quiet but effective danger out through every pour Robert's stomach was in knots and he sat closing his legs tight.

"So you see, really he's just taking it out on anyone," Cody finished after a agryphal anecdote, "He feels like he's never really belonged. I hope working with him can teach him just how to be more sociable."

"I suppose so," the salesman sighed with a shrug, "Really I am more worried about this new thug you're seeing. Now, I know you mean well but I thought you weren't the man who wasn't into those type of relationships."

"We're not dating," OSK interjected matter of fact though voice still swelled from his enforcer act, "He felt it would be best to not go out alone. I am his bodyguard."

"Oh please," the habadasher nearly squawked, "That's the worse cover I've heard and I used the personal banker bit. Look really Mr. Diamant you can be assured despite any eccentricity you, your friends, and family will always be welcome at any of my establishments. Now you can go enjoy our latest seasonal selection as I must finish training this cashier."

"Well actually," Decon began to plea but Cody had both hands at his upper arm pulling towards the dressing room.

"No problem, know the selection like the back of my hand and great with sizes too. Ooh, something good for the French countryside. I am headed there soon!"

OSK guhhed and tried not to feel uncomfortable.

Gamer pulled his handheld from his belt and began playing. This had been one terrible day. He was tired, cranky, not allowed any money, and had to wait outside a clothing store. It was worse than a trip with his mother. They usually could enjoy a swing at the food court without being handed menus and expected to tip. He blew out his noses to his wrist and wiped it on the side of his pants by the knee.

Out the corner of his eye he noted a security guard coming to him. Plainsclothes but the walk, really some things were too universal. He figured he'd better play it dumb for now and just start his power up.

"Excuse me, sir," the guard was leaning and smiling, "I just noticed you got put here. Was that your brother?"

"No," Gamer was loading his last save.

"Ah, I see, well whoever he was could you get him, I need to see his ID"

"No you don't I'm 14 that means I can be here by myself and you need to see mine Pinkerton."

"Hmm, oh really, you have your ID?"

"No, I don't need it. Anyone who don't know me and asks that wish they hadn't!"

"I see, well you'll be explaining that once I take you and your friend into custody"

"I am a freaking customer and I ain't moving until you get a uniform here or explain why I friend of Cody Diamant is to be moved without reason.

"Name dropping isn't necessary and we have been told you're armed if you could just turn around-"

Robert's stomach lurched WHO Told who coulda- Thoughtsniper that cherrypickin' larp reject!

"I ain't got a piece and I don't wanna be searched."

"That isn't what we were told a man matching your description

"Ooh, not white and un-airheaded, without a salesman between their legs and their wallet spread open and turned upside down in the register!" Gamer was pushing it but if this guy was here with no backup the plan was to scare him, make him think he was surrounded, and then get him to some security room while they called his parents. Only… why with the method. Unless, uh oh

"Sir, I am not mall security I am a plainclothes detective. And I assure you I can arrest you but right now if you don't make a scene we can leave this to a phone call to the folks.

"No back up?" Gamer asked worried.

"I am beginning to feel threatened. We're getting the other seven of your boys, so"

"Rest? Hold on Seven… seven BOYS!"

"Yes, we know the plan and we've had some idea but we got a tip so really

"All of them boys. Are you sure. I mean, really sure!"

"Yes, we were told … what you mean there's some girls on this too?"

Oh CRAP!

"No, but there should be," Gamer made his distraction, it had be all of eight minutes. It should be enough time. For the leg to emerger out from the screen of his yellow and green dinosaur of a handheld, heel to chin as the rest of the action game character emerged. The guy had been floored. Gamer ran through the traffic before the crowd could gather covering his escape into the store with a message.

Dwayne was red faced. He'd fabricated a great lie. Really all the justifications had been in the interviewer's head. Only he was feeling more like some well to do civilian than a practiced survivor. And the fact that he was honestly more of the former than the latter wasn't helping matters. He needed to wrap this up, but the dang thing kept going and he had to remember not to make a scene. He'd explained the armed gang members. Mainly latinos and a few blacks. They were going to do a sweep and some knockovers. Basically general mayhem for some reason he hadn't fully figured out. There were eight of them. All with semi-automatic handguns and a few with automatics. Top-line stuff, it was nothing that would hold out but could do some damage.

But he'd seemed so helpful at first the officers verified. Then he said how they noticed more kids like that showing up, making a fuss one call about kicking some out, and of some grown-up's complaints about hoodlums on the grounds. Really he'd been able to fake it enough. But they were still suspicious and very eager for more info. And just how he was getting this info, what was his relationship to these people, and always one person with the interviewer who was only armed with pepper spray but also trained at striking and restraining.

He had to focus. How did he get out of this damned chair and get the team to prevent a warzone in the promenade. And did he really want to. This sounded like something for the real invincible superheroes. Then he felt his heart sink.

"Betty," the extra muscle lifted her squawking radio, "Betty, this is a report we found one of the gang- but

No, Dwayne thought to himself, please, oh please, NO, he pleaded for no specific reason. He knew what was going to be said. Indirect communication helped his powers very well. He understood the staticy words, the codes, and what the man was describing, and WHO he'd just encountered.

Dwayne put his fingers behind his back and then focused very hard. The blue dual sparks ignited, as did the draining buzz in his head. The radioing plainclothes guard was just getting up to the part about a leg smashing out of the screen of one of those "Game-Things" and how they were dealing with metas, when the sparking blue orbs were aimed. The guard was almost ironically asking for backup in the form of Power Company when the young mentad fired his psychic bullets at the chest.

The women seized and Dwayne's foot steps echoed from the distance in their scrambled heads as they found themselves on the floor.

Cody really wasn't sure how to react. He wasn't an all-tolerant saint but Gamer had been more or less keeping to himself when suffering from some racial profiling. And had dealt with it in a way that seemed typical for him.

Violence.

He really hated that but to intervene would likely make things worse. The bare-chested man with the bandanna had just propelled himself, without the minimum of physically, let alone humanly, plausible launching force, crossing the space between the walkways and then begun all manner of stilted but damaging moves. It would have continued then only for another, uniformed, officer- no security guard, the mimic uniform was a give away, if not the wearer's emotional state- to pull out some pepper spray from his belt-loop, pop his safety, and fire. The martial artist didn't react to the chemicals. He walked over in a heaving and aggressive stance as he lowered himself and then delivered a rising uppercut to the guard's chin. This continued for about a few minutes until all the guards were on their backs or stomachs or crawling away. Gamer had been seated contentedly on his bench and then, as the last guy came out had the video game character make a semi-respectful bow and then ready himself. The guard just ran away.

Gamer stood up and walked inside the store and smiled to Mr. Erixon.

"Sir, I apologize. So what if you wanna sexually service your best buying customer. I mean I had a job once. Well, sorta, that's like part of customer service. I spoke out of turn and shouldn't have made such a big deal about it," he was giddy but somehow relaxed from his actions, "So please if I'll just sit or remain quiet would you let me stay.

The older man wouldn't have listened at this point. If security had picked up he'd have had the boy banded. But apparently they couldn't handle the situation and the little smart mouth had powers. And was promising to behave.

"Good," Gamer already knew what was to be said, "just great, now if you'll excuse me. . ." Robert turned and walked to Deacon and Cody. Deacon just seemed offended. Cody was almost in shock.

"How did," Cody began.

"Huh, think this is the first time I've been kicked outta somewhere. Really once these little napleons see how weak-ass they are they start considering, just maybe, how good it is to be more accommodating to the non-paying customer."

"No no I meant how did they know you were with us?"

"Uh you just had me brought out here?"

"Ugh, my lord the video games how how how," OSK finally began to speak again, "How LAME. I mean what was powering that kick. Enthusiasm. And and that stance, if he was up against a twelve year old with brick he'd be dead. How do people play that tripe."

"Wanna demo!" Gamer threatened. OSK rolled his eyes. Mr. Erixon felt now it was best to go into the back of the store and take his trainee with him.

"Guys, uh… no I mean they didn't seem to notice us or Gamer really. They were targeting him and and… I don't think it was for something he did. They felt a … a little.

"Specifics, Deanna, or unlike Picard I WILL space you," Gamer hissed his voice down but not his venom.

OSK reflected, You're right. They didn't know you were a meta, you haven't stolen anything. Seems like profiling, but in a Californian mall of this location? Why what's the point?"

"Oh please white people-"

"AHEM," Cody falsely cleared his throat and then Gamer felt, amazingly, a pang of remorse.

"I mean upper-class people. They don't like someone different and let's admit it we're not with mallwalkers anonymous. We're teens. We shoot up schools, boost cars, steal merchandise from behind the partition while they aren't looking.

"Uh," Cody didn't really like the sound of this, "Look klepto-man. You still could've handled that differently. Reacting to injustice with injustice is uh. Well that is," Cody had to acknowledge Gamer's wit as well. They'd met briefly but Gamer had learned the kid was very acutely aware of his emotional responses. So he made sure to effect that much more a grimace or a feeling of repulsion at hypocrisy. And Cody hadn't even told him of his empathic powers. Gamer thinking wasn't a problem. Getting him to think was. The child was an utter knucklehead.

The problem was it was easy to see why. Summoning out a man (and the part that had truly stunned Cody a man with some small but existant feelings of his own) that he used as puppet to inflict damage just to be allowed to cry out his willful mind was casual to him. Use of force to get a point across was actually moral to him.

_And there were many like him_

WHAT! Cody wasn't sure he'd spoken that last.

"Gamer is confused," Robert mocked, "Hello, Earth to Jack. Wakey-wakey. I know you're busy chasing the only thought in that cavern of a head of yours to give it a perm but dude SNAP OUT OF IT."

"People are being hurt. Robbed. In pain. We, we HAVE to go."

"Uh okay look. Cody, we don't help people who are hurt, we shop. Vacation, 'member. Also remember five minutes ago all you had to do was . . . well to explain what was going on?"

"Do you think you're funny," Cody said fishing for his scepter in the mess of discarded pants he'd tried.

Gamer felt a wave of meekness hit him then defiance surged, "Well I just happen to know I can't depend on you.

"Oh yess and you came to that conclusion after much careful delibirat- damn where's my pants. I need to get the rod to-"

Gamer held up his hands, "See what I mean, look Mr. Fashion buy yourself more clothes. The real useful people. They'll handle it"

"Those guards you nearly killed?"

"Uh," Gamer was clumsily avoiding this well made point, "Ya know if I accused and looked down on everything you did wrong I'd be considered a freakin' homophobic murderer. But go ahead-"

"This is inappropriate WHY!"

"Because," OSK interjected having just come back in the store, "People are being shot at and unless you two can stop fighting will likely die. Gangbangers and well armed and kinda organized. Semis and automatics. Easy to spot though, the only people standing and laughing. Wanna stop 'em?"

Gamer put a hand under his chin. Cody glared at him.

"Okay, I guess. I'll be with you guys in five? Oh and Cody? I think you left the rod thing on the seat in the fitting room."


End file.
